Why Kate Middleton Feels ‘Relieved’ Meghan Markle Isn’t Attending King Charles’ Coronation
It didn’t take long for news outlets to start getting intel from royal experts and sources about how Kate Middleton and the royal family at large feel about Meghan Markle’s decision to not attend King Charles’ coronation on May 6, which is also her and Prince Harry’s son Archie’s fourth birthday. The consensus so far is that Kate is actually quite happy that Meghan will be staying in California because it will minimize drama, per Daily Mail and Entertainment Tonight.
Entertainment Tonight got perspective from royal expert Eloise Parker, who said the decision made Kate feel more at ease. “I think there’s bound to be some relief from William and Kate that Meghan won’t be attending the coronation simply because less emphasis is going to be on them, who’s looking where, who’s lip reading, what’s going on between them,” Parker said. “There’s such a fever of interest in these relationships and the truth is we’re never going to see a Real Housewives moment between these women. Everything is going to be kept firmly under wraps and I think for Kate, the fact that Meghan isn’t attending, helps her keep it that way.”
A royal observer also told Daily Mail, “Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won’t be there—it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.”
Prince Harry wrote in his memoir Spare that Kate always felt a little uneasy about Meghan. During Meghan and Kate’s first event together, Harry wrote that Kate was likely “on edge,” understanding that she was now “going to be compared to, and forced to compete with, Meg.”
Privately, the women weren’t exactly close friends and had some tense incidents. He wrote about how Kate told off Meghan for her innocent “baby brain” comment and detailed the altercation Kate and Meghan had over Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress for his and Meghan’s wedding. The conversation ended with Meghan in tears; Harry even shared the texts Kate and Meghan sent.
In January with the release of Harry’s memoir Spare, a royal insider told Entertainment Tonight that Kate was “hurt and disappointed” by what Harry shared in the book because she believes “private matters had been made public.”
A second source who knows both couples described the relationship between them as having “completely broken down.” Since the release of the memoir, not much more has been shared about the state of Kate, Meghan, Harry, and William’s private relationship. Today’s reports only add to the public narrative that the once royal-Fab Four are not on good terms.
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.