THE FEUD EXPLODES!
Meghan Markle drives Kate Middleton to tears during her first visit with baby Archie
They said all the right things. “We wish them the best,” Prince William told reporters in London on May 7, the day after his only brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan Markle, welcomed their first child. Kate Middleton politely echoed his sentiment, adding that they “look forward to meeting” the new baby, which William predicted would happen “in the next few days, when things have quieted down.”
But a week later, the royal couple — who live just about half an hour away from Meghan and Harry’s Frogmore Cottage home — still hadn’t met their new nephew in person, says an insider. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip saw the baby on May 8, and Kate, 37, and William, 36, offered to visit around the same time. “But Meghan refused to be accommodating and kept making excuses by saying the timing wasn’t right, so they simply didn’t feel welcome,” says the insider. Mom-of-three Kate — who also bristled at Meghan’s strict rules for visiting the baby and continued defiance of royal tradition — got so fed up, “she and William put off meeting Archie for as long as possible.” That, in turn, made Meghan feel “com
pletely snubbed. Now their feud is exploding again — the queen finally had to step in and insist they visit.”
But the first meeting ended in disaster. “Meghan was in a foul mood and so cold toward William and Kate, you could really tell she didn’t want them to be there,” claims the insider. “It was so awkward.” And then all hell broke loose: Fearful of germs, Meghan, 37, “wouldn’t even
let Kate hold the baby,” says the insider. Deeply offended, the Duchess of Cambridge — who reportedly cried over Meghan’s brusque treatment of her 4-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, at a pre-wedding dress fitting last year — “burst into tears and left with William after five minutes.”
CLASHING STYLES
Archie’s birth could have been an opportunity for Kate and Meghan to find common ground as mothers. Instead, the new arrival only highlighted the vast differences between them. “Kate, who goes out of her way to abide by the rules, can’t stand Meghan’s rebellious streak,” says the insider.
The American-born former actress and outspoken women’s rights champion insisted on choosing her own doctors, making her own birth announcement and keeping the details maddeningly secret (see sidebar). And unlike Kate and William have done for all three kids, she’s also refused to authorize any official baby merchandise to benefit the Royal Collection Trust and micromanaged the first photos. “Meghan’s making every decision. I think she even overrides the queen,” says the insider. “Kate’s been complaining to William that Meghan turned her first appearance with Archie into an over-the-top scene from a Hollywood movie.”
But many of Meghan’s demands stem from being a first-time mom. “She’s been very emotional,” another source says of the duchess. The insider says she’s been leaning on her mom, LA-based yoga instructor Doria Ragland, as she deals with sleepless nights and postpartum issues. “Meghan and Doria have an extremely close relationship, but personality-wise they’re actually very different,” says the insider. “Doria is much more relaxed,
so she’s a calming influence on her daughter if she gets flustered or feels overwhelmed with everything going on around her.”
Meghan’s natural response is to be extremely protective of her child. “She has very strict rules for guests,” says the insider, adding that she’s super diligent about hand-washing and has insisted on flu shots for everyone who comes near him. “And if staff or anyone else shows the slightest sign of an illness, like a runny nose, or sneezes, they’re banned from the house.”
And since Kate wasn’t allowed to hold the baby, her kids, George, 5, Charlotte and Louis, 1 — likely won’t be allowed anywhere near him, either. “They’re dying to meet their baby cousin, but their aunt has been making it as difficult as possible,” says the insider, “which isn’t going down well with Kate.”
Harry, who has great affection for his sister-in-law, tried to make peace. “He feels torn between Meghan and his family,” says the insider, adding that the prince, 34, actually called Kate to apologize for his wife’s behavior. “That incited Meghan’s wrath. She furiously accused her husband of betraying her.
Meghan’s determination to break royal protocol is causing havoc within the royal family”
— AN INSIDER
It’s such a tricky situation because he’s not used to all this drama. But his loyalties lie with his wife.”
IMAGE AT STAKE
As far as the queen is concerned, their loyalty lies with the Crown. “She has told Meghan, Kate, Harry and William that it’s a bad look,” says the insider. “The monarchy should reflect unity, not war.”
And while Kate and William usually do what they’re told, Meghan’s attitude has made things difficult. “The queen has tried everything from speaking to the four of them individually to organizing an intervention, but nothing seems to work,” says the insider. “As a last resort, she’s been consulting with Doria. The queen is hoping she’ll talk some sense into her daughter before it’s too late — and the whole family falls apart.”