The alleged rift between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton has divided the Royal Fab Four for the Christmas holiday. Markle, Middleton, Prince Harry, and Prince William will celebrate Christmas together, but they reportedly won’t stay under the same roof.
People Magazine reported that Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, will stay with Queen Elizabeth at Sandringham House, the monarch’s country home in Norfolk for Christmas.
Kate Middleton and Prince William will remain at their Anmer Hall home with their three children, Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 3, and 7-month-old Prince Louis noted the outlet.
This decision comes after a family friend close to the royals confirmed to People that both Markle and Middleton clashed in the days ahead of the Duchess of Sussex’s royal wedding to Harry in May and their relationship has allegedly been tense ever since.
“There was an argument between Meghan and Kate over the fit of [3-year-old] Princess Charlotte’s dress,” the source said to People .
A second insider confirmed to People , “There were very few fittings for the bridesmaids. Everything was left to the last minute, and it was really stressful for everyone involved.”
Middleton was allegedly “left in tears” over the incident, setting the stage for the current situation between the two women.
Earlier this month, the couples’ shared office at Kensington Palace publicly denied a report that Middleton had “warned” Markle not to “scold staff members.”
“Wives do change the dynamic, and they both have very strong wives,” an insider told People.
“If you bring two independent-minded women from the real world into the royal world, they are going to want to have an impact.”
Middleton and Prince William will head to Sandringham early in the afternoon on Christmas Eve, noted People , and will exchange gifts with other members of the royal family.
Other invited guests will then arrive thereafter and the family will spend some quiet time together.
On Christmas Day, the family heads to church as a unit and then back to Sandringham House for lunch and other family activities.
In 2017, despite only being Harry’s fiancee, Markle was invited to join the royal family for their Christmas celebrations, an unusual move for the monarchy.
The couple stayed with William and Kate and their children at their home for the holidays during Markle’s transition into the royal family.
It is notable that although she was in a committed relationship with Prince William for years and at the time engaged to marry the future king of England, Markle spent her last Christmas holidays as a single woman with her own family.
Markle and Prince Harry will welcome their first child together in the spring of 2019.
