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From the time of Meghan Markle's engagement to Prince Harry in November 2017 to the 2022 Netflix docu-series detailing the couple's exit from the royal family, members of the press and public have been fascinated by the relationship between the Duchess of Sussex and her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
Speculation over tensions between the two began to circulate in November 2018, just six months after the royal wedding, with reports that Meghan had made Kate cry in an argument over bridesmaids dresses.
In March 2021, Meghan finally took the opportunity to settle the rumors in her own voice, telling Oprah Winfrey in her landmark TV interview that Kate had been the one to make her cry, and that an apology had been made that she accepted.
Meghan closed the discussion about her sister-in-law by appealing to fans of both royals, saying: "If you love me, you don't have to hate her. And if you love her, you don't need to hate me."
Here, Newsweek looks at what Kate has said publicly about Harry and Meghan throughout their six-year relationship.
What Kate Middleton Said About Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Engagement
Harry and Meghan announced their engagement on November 27, 2017, with a photo call and sit down interview at Kensington Palace, where they were living at Nottingham Cottage, a few hundred yards away from Prince William and Kate Middleton's apartment 1A home.
The following day Kate took part in a previously scheduled engagement at London's Foundling Museum and during her arrival gave a rare response to a journalist's question in front of the gathered news cameras.
In response to the question: "How do you feel about yesterday's royal wedding announcement?" the then-Duchess of Cambridge said she was "thrilled."
In Kate's own words:
"Oh, William and I are absolutely thrilled. It's such exciting news. It's a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment."
What Kate Middleton Said During Awkward Meeting With William, Harry and Meghan
Three months after their engagement announcement both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took part in the first Royal Foundation Forum alongside Prince William and Kate.
The forum was staged to give the royal couples, dubbed by the press the new "fab four," the opportunity to set out the vision for their joint-foundation and how they would work together.
Kate was pregnant with her third child, Prince Louis, and at the end of the panel discussion an awkward moment arose with the moderator, Tina Daheley, asking whether the royals ever had "disagreements about things?"
To this William responded "oh yes," before laughing. Amid this discussion Kate gave her view on working with her husband and Harry and Meghan, saying that though people were working towards their "own ambitions," it was important to collaborate.
In Kate's own words:
"Can you [William] remember at the sort of big round tables with the charity partners...you know it is sometimes hard to find these common ground where everyone really can get behind and things like that. And actually, that is the challenge. Everyone is/are individuals, they're all working towards their own ambitions but if you can, for us as patrons but also the charity partners, I think you [William] did a fantastic speech recently about everyone collaborating and working together and in doing so you can make a much bigger impact."
What Kate Middleton Said About Meghan and Harry's First Pregnancy
By the time Meghan and Harry announced at the end of 2018 that they were expecting their first child, reports that the duchess and Kate were not getting along had begun to circulate.
On November 28, British tabloid The Sun broke a story that Meghan had made Kate cry in a confrontation over bridesmaids dresses earlier in the year. The following day, Kate broke her usual silence by discussing Meghan with a group of well-wishers on an engagement in the city of Leicester.
When asked "Are you excited for Meghan and her new baby?" the royal responded that it was "really special."
In Kate's own words:
"Absolutely. It's such a special time to have all these kiddies, and they're cousins for George and Charlotte and Louis, so it will be really special."
What Kate Middleton Said About the Birth of Lilibet Mountbatten Windsor
Meghan and Harry announced that they were expecting the arrival of a second child on Valentine's Day 2021, nearly a year on from the couple having stepped down from their roles as working royals and moving to the U.S.
The couple revealed the gender of their baby during a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey a month later, the same interview in which Meghan claimed that Kate had made her cry before her wedding.
Meghan gave birth to a baby girl named Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on June 4 and announced the news two days later. With this, members of the royal family, who had come under critical scrutiny following allegations of uncaring treatment and, for one unnamed member, racism over comments about the Sussex's children's skin color, posted their congratulations online.
On Kate and William's official social media channels they said they were "delighted" with the news of Lilibet (known as Lili within her family)'s safe arrival.
Social meida message from @KensingtonRoyal:
"We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie."
We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 6, 2021
Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie.
What Kate Middleton Said About Not Meeting Harry and Meghan's Daughter
A week after Lilibet's birth, Kate was asked if she had any "wishes" for her "new niece" during an early-years roundtable discussion with First Lady Jill Biden, who was in Britain for the G7 summit.
Kate revealed that she was "excited" and hoped to meet Lilibet soon. In a follow-up question, the royal reveled that she had not "FaceTimed" with the infant since her birth.
In Kate's own words:
"I wish her all the very best. I can't wait to meet her because we haven't yet met her yet. But hopefully that will be soon."
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more