Us Weekly: Kate Middleton Tries to Build Relationship with Meghan Markle after Lilibet's Birth

Kate Middleton is reportedly trying to rebuild the strained relationship with her sister-in-law Meghan Markle following the birth of her niece Lilibet Diana. The duchesses are hopeful for reconciliation.

As Prince Harry and Prince William present a united front to unveil Princess Diana’s statue in the United Kingdom, it seems their wives are working behind the scenes to kickstart the reconciliation journey.

According to a new source, Kate Middleton is using the recent birth of her niece Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor as an avenue to reach out to her estranged sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.

REBUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP

Although the women have been plagued in a feud of their own, an insider shared that Middleton is taking the lead to fix the burnt bridges between the two households. The source revealed to Us Weekly:

“Kate has been reaching out to Meghan a lot more since [Lilibet] was born. She’s sending [notes and] gifts and trying to build up a relationship.”

The insider explained that there had been ongoing plans in the palace to help pull Harry and Meghan closer. William and Kate have reportedly informed staffers to frequently reach out to the Sussexes in a bid to get them to soften.

KATE’S REACTION TO LILIBET’S BIRTH

Earlier this month, Harry and Meghan announced the birth of their second child Lilibet on June 4, bringing a wave of joy to douse the high tensions in the family. Shortly after the announcement, the Cambridges offered their congratulations.

Joining other royal family members to celebrate the newest addition, William and Kate took to social media. They uploaded the black-and-white image Harry and Meghan used to announce their second pregnancy in February. The caption read:

“We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan, and Archie.”

At the time of the announcement, a royal source shared that William and Kate were informed of Lilibet’s birth on time and they sent a gift to the newborn. However, details of the present were not disclosed.

The rift became evident in November 2018, when Harry and Meghan announced they were leaving Kensington Palace.

Shortly after Lilibet’s birth, the Duchess of Cambridge, during an outing with US First Lady Jill Biden, gushed about her niece, saying she couldn’t wait to meet the toddler. Kate noted that she hadn’t videoed called the newborn, but it would happen soon.

THE WEDDING RUMORS

Before Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royal members and exited the family, the relationship between Kate and Meghan was rocky following an incident at the Sussexes wedding in May 2018.

Tabloids reported that Meghan made Kate, who had just welcome Prince Louis, cry during a fitting session for the flower-girls, causing the Duchess of Sussex to be on the receiving end of backlash from fans.

However, during Harry and Meghan’s explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan shut down the claims, saying that it was Kate who made her cry. She noted that everyone in the family knew the truth but didn’t do anything to quell the claims.

Meghan shared that Kate apologized for the issue and stated that the problem wasn’t as heated as the tabloids made it to be. She described her sister-in-law as a good person and advocated that fans don’t have to pit them against each other.

A TIMELINE OF THE FEUD

Although the wedding ruckus marks the start of Kate and Meghan’s strained relationship, the duo had a rocky relationship throughout their time working together before Harry and Meghan stepped down.

Per reports, the rift became evident in November 2018, when Harry and Meghan announced they were leaving Kensington Palace to live by themselves in Frogmore Cottage. Sources claimed Kate and Meghan had a hard time working together.

By June 2019, it was announced that the Sussexes had broken away from The Royal Foundation, which they shared with the Cambridges. However, through it all, Kate and Meghan put up a united front.

The duo was first seen exchanging a kiss during Commonwealth Day with a source stating that they had no issues with each other. The women also made headlines when they Wimbledon together.

FAMOUS CELEBRITY FEUDS

The royals aren’t the only popular figures who don't sometimes see eye-to-eye. Hollywood is filled with stars who often feud with each other. Some famous rifts include Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, Jay-Z and Kanye, and The Rock and Vin Diesel.