Meghan Markle Left ‘Disappointed’ When She Met & Realised Who Kate Middleton Was - Kate Once Made Her Cry

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton had a strained relationship that lasted for months. Continue reading to find out the genesis of their issues and how they resolved them.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, remains one of the most famous figures in the world. Over the years, her popularity has stemmed from being an accomplished former American actress and her involvement with the royal family since her marriage to Prince Harry.

Her time in the royal family was marred with controversies and disputes with various senior royals, including Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. Here's everything to know about Markle, her marriage, and her relationship with members of the royal family.

MARKLE AND PRINCE HARRY'S LOVE STORY

In 2017, Markle and Prince Harry had their first joint interview, where they shed light on many issues, including how they met. It may be shocking to most, but the facts remain that the couple first met through a mutual friend, Violet von Westenholz.

Westenholz has been Prince Harry's childhood friend, and on the other hand, she crossed paths with Markle during the former's PR work with fashion house Ralph Lauren. But, according to a source, before the couple met, Prince Harry had issues finding the perfect partner.

He often confided in Westenholz about many things, and when he finally told her it was hard to find the right person, she did the needful. Westenholz set up the duo for a blind date, and the rest is history.

It is believed that meeting Markle was one of the best things that happened to Prince Harry. However, before the duo crossed paths, English Journalist Andrew Morton revealed that the Duke of Sussex struggled with anger issues.

According to him, Prince Harry did not know which way to turn, as he was struggling to find himself and dealing with his mother's death. But things changed when he finally met his wife.

Before their first encounter, Markle was majorly known for her accomplishments in the movie industry. A graduate of Northwestern University, Illinois, the mom of two, an actress started her foray into acting at a young age with a role in "Married… With Children."

MARKLE MEETS THE ROYAL FAMILY

Several times, Prince Harry has been vocal about how he was smitten by Markle's beauty when he first saw her. Also, he was always intentional about their relationship from the start.

The Duke of Sussex proved how serious he was about Markle when he introduced her to Prince Charles two months after they started dating. Not long after, Prince Harry introduced Markle to the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II.

Markle met the Monarch at the Royal Lodge after finishing a church service. Before the big meeting, the former actress and Prince Harry did a run-through on how to curtsy the Queen.

Eventually, the rehearsals paid off when Markle finally met Queen Elizabeth II. First, she did a "very deep curtsy," Afterward, they sat and chatted easily and were lovely.

Despite meeting the royal family, Markle and Prince Harry remained discreet about their relationship for months. When they finally went public, the couple received a ton of backlash.

There were also rumors that Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, did not support his brother's decision to be vocal about his relationship.

However, Prince William debunked the rumors in a statement. The information revealed that Prince William understood the situation and supported his brother.

Apart from the Duke of Cambridge, many other people supported Prince Harry and Markle's relationship, including the latter's family.

INSIDE MARKLE AND MIDDLETON'S RIFT

After being introduced to the Royal Family, Markle's relationship with some members blossomed, but the same could not be said of her relationship with Kate Middleton, Prince William's wife. Insiders believed that they did not get along because they were very different.

However, in "Finding Freedom," a biography of Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie, it was revealed that the Duchess' problems began when they met.

When Markle first met Middleton, the book alleged that she was left disappointed because she realized the latter was "an extremely guarded person." Also, the book claimed that Middleton had a group of friends, which made it difficult to be friends with Markle.

The tension between the duo grew even more significant to the point that Markle publicly claimed Middleton once made her cry. However, the Duchess of Sussex revealed that Middleton apologized for her actions with flowers.

Although the tension between the pair had died down, they were in the news again in January 2017. This time, Markle received the heat after her birthday gift to Middleton was considered "dull." The former actress gave Prince William's wife a dream diary for her birthday.

Many believed that Markle could have done better, but Middleton was appreciative anyway. It was a relief to see the Duchesses finally getting along.

HOW DID THEY MEND THEIR RELATIONSHIP

To date, many wonder why Markle and Middleton decided to put their differences aside. The answer is the pair established a relationship due to Markle's love for Middleton's children, especially Princess Charlotte.

During the early stages of Prince Harry and Markle's relationship, the couple lived close to the Cambridges. Staying close allowed Markle to spend quality time with Princess Charlotte and her brothers.

Markle and Middleton are closer than before and hope that their relationship will be rekindled.

With time, the former actress established a close bond with the children. It made Middleton and Markle resolve their issues and heal their relationship.

Even after Markle and Prince Harry's wedding, the Duchesses appeared to be relating better. They were spotted together, full of smiles and laughter at the 2018 Royal Family Christmas Day church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

THE RIFT BETWEEN THE SUSSEXES AND THE ROYAL FAMILY

In January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex left the world in shock when they announced their decision to step back from their roles as senior royals.

The couple said they decided after reflecting and discussing internally for several months. The news came as a shock, especially to the Royal Family, who were not informed.

Markle and Prince Harry's decision greatly strained their relationship with the Royal Family. However, two months later, the Cambridges and Sussexes reunited for the latter's final engagement as working royals.

Reports revealed that it was a weird reunion, as they traveled in different cars, did not speak a word to each other, and left the occasion in different vehicles.

Since she stepped down from her role, Markle has spoken extensively about her experiences with the Royal Family. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the mom of two recalled how Middleton made her cry a few days before her wedding.

However, Markle said she forgave Middleton, who apologized. The duo went on very well and was often spotted together, including during the 2019 tennis championships in Wimbledon.

But during the Oprah Winfrey interview, Markle gave a somewhat surprising reply to a question regarding the 2019 moment she was spotted talking with Middleton.

Winfrey asked the former actress if the picture "was what it looked like" She wondered if they were getting to know each other better or if Middleton welcomed Markle into the royal family. In her response, Markle said:

"My understanding and experience for the past four years are that it's nothing like what it looks like."

Apart from her issues with Middleton, Markle has also recounted her problem with Queen Elizabeth II. A source noted that Prince Harry's wife once asked her husband to persuade the Queen to give them private rooms in Windsor Castle.

However, Queen Elizabeth II rejected the plea and gave Markle and her husband. Instead, she gave them a wing in Frogmore Cottage, which left them isolated from everyone.

HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS BEEN MENDED?

Despite Markle's encounter with Queen Elizabeth II, she and her husband still share a great relationship with the Monarch. They named their second child and daughter Lilibet, a pet name of the Queen.

On the other hand, the couple and Prince Charles had been estranged for over eight months. Prince Charles praised his son's work on climate change in an essay for Newsweek. Hopefully, it could be the turning point of their relationship.

Regarding the Sussexes and Cambridges, their relationship had been strained since the big announcement. However, it was reported that Middleton has not been happy about the rift.

According to an insider, Markle and Middleton are closer than before and hope that their relationship will be rekindled.

Meanwhile, Markle does not want fans to take sides between herself and Middleton. Hopefully, fans heed her words while she tries to sort out her relationships with the Royal Family members.