Meghan Markle is reportedly leaning on her Hollywood friends George Clooney and his wife Amal as her royal rift with Kate Middleton and Prince William intensifies.
WATCH George Clooney lash out at Meghan’s critics here:
The Duchess of Sussex, 37 – who counts Clooney and his human rights lawyer spouse among her closest confidantes – continues to find herself the focus of rumours, as sources close to the royal family accuse the new mother of changing her husband Prince Harry for the worse and causing an irreparable rift between the houses of Cambridge and Sussex.
The former actress has also cemented a reputation for demanding behaviour with Kensington Palace staff bestowing a number of unkind nicknames including “Me-Gain”, “Duchess Difficult” and “Hurricane Meghan”, Express.co.uk reveals.
The Sunday Times also reported the Duchess has been dubbed “the degree wife” by a high-ranking member of the royal family, because the Windsors only expect her to stay married to the Duke of Sussex for three years.
In the midst of this drama, American-born Meghan is said to be “relying heavily” on George and Amal, the Mirror UK reports, as well as her new friend Rihanna who recently relocated to London.
George and his Syrian-born wife were among the celebrity guests invited to Meghan and Harry’s fairytale royal wedding in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle last May.
Meghan’s A-list pals Priyanka Chopra, Serena Williams and Canadian stylist Jessica Mulroney were also in attendance.
The Clooneys, who live with their twins Ella and Alexander in the upscale Italian resort of Lake Como, are reportedly giving the Duchess parenting tips over dinner at Frogmore Cottage, as well as suggesting which charities she should work with and debating strategy on how to handle her fractious relationship with sister-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge.
In the wake of Meghan’s lavish $500,000 New York City baby shower in February, 57-year-old George came to her defence saying the Duchess was being “pursued and vilified” in a way similar to Princess Diana.
Thanks to her strong celebrity friendships, a Buckingham Palace source told Closer Magazine: “It’s been tough for Meghan, but she finally feels like she’s settling in more to life in England now she has a close support network there.”
Meghan is sure to need all the advice she can get if recent reports about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex pulling out of the Royal Foundation are accurate.
The charity was founded by Harry and big brother the Duke of Cambridge in 2009, but an aide to Prince Charles told the Sunday Times the siblings are likely to split the initiative in the very near future.
“If it doesn’t hold together, that’s a real sign there’s a problem,” the royal staffer said.
“William’s quite controlling, and he was in control when it was just the three of them, but now he’s not,” referring to Meghan’s entry to the royal family.
Despite the scandal, the past few months have been an incredibly happy time for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex thanks to the arrival of their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, on May 6.
Baby Archie, the eighth great-grandchild of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, was introduced to the world with a photocall inside St George’s Hall in Windsor on May 8.
Meghan took a break from maternity leave to attend the Queen’s official birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, at Buckingham Palace earlier this month.
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