With the release of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, several Royal Family members faced criticism. Harry detailed his struggles within the royal circle and Meghan Markle’s tense relationship with Kate Middleton, including a major fallout before their wedding.
Harry claimed Kate made Meghan cry over flower girl dresses—contradicting earlier reports that Meghan had upset Kate. One text exchange left Meghan “sobbing on the floor” after Kate complained about Princess Charlotte’s ill-fitting dress.
Meghan and Kate were never close. While there were hopes they’d bond, tension persisted. Meghan revealed in their Netflix documentary that their first meeting was awkward, and she quickly realized how formality within the Royal Family extended behind closed doors.
After marrying, Harry and Meghan briefly lived near William and Kate at Kensington Palace, but friction grew. Meghan reportedly felt sidelined, told she’d never be “in the first division.” According to author Tom Quinn, this clashed with Meghan’s belief in merit-based success.
Kate reportedly offered to photograph baby Archie, but Meghan declined, preferring a professional. Meghan also felt disappointed that Kate didn’t offer her support during intense media scrutiny.
Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand wrote that while Meghan hoped for a bond with Kate, the duchesses never got close. Kate didn’t go out of her way to help Meghan adjust to royal life.
During the Oprah interview, Meghan said Kate had made her cry before the wedding but later apologized with flowers and a note. Despite that, Harry wrote in Spare about more pre-wedding tension, including Kate refusing to bring Charlotte to a tailor for dress alterations.
Though Harry said Kate meant no harm, he found Meghan devastated. The book also details how Kate had issues with Meghan’s wedding plans, such as a party for page boys.
The royals haven’t publicly responded to the claims. Spare quickly became a bestseller, selling 1.4 million copies on its first day. Despite its success, Harry’s popularity in the UK has dropped, with only 24% holding a favorable view—down from 80% a decade ago.