But the couple’s relief was short-lived – and instead of spending this week reminiscing over their historic Westminster Abbey wedding on April 29, 2011, they were dealing with fresh attacks from Kate’s “jealous” sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.
“It wasn’t long after Harry had dropped his bags in the hall back in Santa Barbara, LA, that word reached Kate and William that Meghan was flipping out,” says a source.
“She’s furious that yet again, Kate has come out of a family event smelling like roses for apparently bringing the brothers back together, while Meghan copped column after column of press accusations that she tried to overshadow Prince Philip’s funeral.”
In fact, Meghan claimed in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey that the royal press teams protected Kate, but not herself.
Royal biographer Anna Pasternak told Vanity Fair last week that “[Meghan and Harry] made the Cambridges seem dowdy, suburban, and rather dull. That does not go down well in the palace”.
The negative press surrounding Meghan, 39, comes after the duchess, who remained at home heavily pregnant with their second child, was criticised after information about the wreath and handwritten note she had left in St George’s Chapel for Prince Philip was leaked to the public via Sussex sources minutes before his funeral commenced.
“The rest of the family kept their personal touches private – but Meghan clearly couldn’t stand not being the topic of conversation in the press,” rages a palace insider.
Now, a Santa Barbara-based source tells New Idea that any lingering feelings of goodwill towards William and Kate from Prince Harry, 36, following the funeral were “quickly dismantled by his wife” on his return to California.
“She had to have been feeling nervous about how quickly Harry was drawn back into the fold without her there,” says a source.
“But she holds the trump card as the mother of his children. William and Kate have heard that any progress they made with Harry has been undone by Meghan. They will be very upset.”
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