One significant incident involved a disagreement between Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Markle, Duchess of Sussex, which left the internet in shock.
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s argument
In his memoir, Prince Harry recounts that days before the wedding, Middleton messaged Markle about Princess Charlotte’s dress, stating (per Harper’s Bazaar): “Charlotte’s dress is too big, too long, too baggy.”
This was followed up by: “She cried when she tried it on at home.”
The duke explained the dresses were crafted using previously taken measurements.
Markle attempted to de-escalate the situation by reminding Middleton that a tailor was available at Kensington Palace to make necessary alterations.
She wrote: “Right, and I told you the tailor has been standing by since 8 a.m. Here. At KP. Can you take Charlotte to have it altered, as the other mums are doing?”
Despite this, Middleton allegedly insisted that ‘all the dresses be remade,’ citing the advice of her wedding dress designer, Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, who reportedly agreed with her concerns.
Tensions heighten
As tensions escalated, Markle brought up the immense stress she was under due to the ongoing media scrutiny surrounding her father, Thomas Markle.
Prince Harry continued: “Meg asked if Kate was aware of what was going on right now. With her father.”
Middleton acknowledged the situation but remained firm on the dress issue, saying: “And the wedding is in four days!”
The duchess attempted to resolve the matter, writing: “I’m not sure what else to say. If the dress doesn’t fit then please take Charlotte to see Ajay. He’s been waiting all day.”
Eventually, Middleton relented and responded with a short: “Fine.
The exchange is said to have left Markle deeply upset, and Prince Harry recalled returning home to find her ‘sobbing’ on the floor.
The tabloids weigh in
Months later, a different version of events was published by tabloids, claiming that Markle made Middleton cry.
Markle, Prince Harry, Middleton, and Prince William held a private meeting at Nottingham Cottage to discuss the issue in December 2018.
The duke wrote that during this conversation, Middleton acknowledged the inaccuracies in the reports, allegedly admitting: “I know, Meghan, that I was the one who made you cry.”
Despite this alleged admission, little was done to correct the public narrative.
Prince Harry described Middleton as becoming ‘flustered,’ while Prince William offered ‘supportive-sounding evasions.’
This led the Sussexes to question who had leaked the false story.
Prince William’s involvement
Prince Harry wrote that after much discussion, Prince William eventually admitted he ‘might’ve’ mentioned the conflict during a dinner with their father, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla while the prince and Markle were on their Australian tour.
The revelation stunned the duke and duchess.
“I put my hand over my face. Meg froze. A heavy silence fell. So now we knew,” Prince Harry recalled.
He confronted his brother, telling him: “You of all people should’ve known.”
Prince William is said to have acknowledged this with a nod, and the meeting ended in silence.
Meghan Markle’s reponse
Markle later addressed the ordeal in a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where she refuted the tabloid narrative.
The duchess said: “I don’t think it’s fair to her to get into the details of [the fight], because she apologized. And I’ve forgiven her.”
However, she expressed frustration at being falsely blamed.
Markle explained: “What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that not only I didn’t do, but that happened to me.”
She also revealed that individuals at the wedding had informed the Sussexes’ communications team that the tabloid story was untrue.