As speculation continues to swirl around Kate Middleton's health and marriage to Prince William in the wake of her abdominal surgery and subsequent Photoshop scandal, one royal expert claims that her estranged sister-in-law Meghan Markle has attempted to offer support through back channels. However, the alleged gesture has sparked mixed reactions among royal insiders.
"Scandals of the Royal Palaces" author Tom Quinn told the Mirror that the Duchess of Sussex has reached out to Kensington Palace several times via back channels in an effort to connect with Kate Middleton. "This is definitely partly because Meghan is genuinely worried about Kate's health, but she also sees a chance to lose her permanently angry-at-the-royals image," Quinn said.
The alleged olive branch comes amid a long-standing rift between the two royal couples, with Markle and her husband Prince Harry not being on speaking terms with Middleton and Prince William since they stepped away from their royal duties and moved to Montecito, California in 2020.
While Quinn suggests that Middleton would likely politely accept Markle's overtures to avoid being seen as rebuffing them, he claims that the feeling within Kensington Palace is that welcoming these attempts could reopen old wounds. "The feeling in Kensington Palace is that if Meghan's attempts to extend an olive branch are welcomed, it will just re-open old wounds," he said.
Jennie Bond, a former royal correspondent for the BBC, expressed doubts about the appropriateness of Markle's alleged support. "I don't think Kate would ever consider Meghan - who spent such a very short time in the royal fold - as an appropriate or qualified person to give her advice or support," Bond told OK!.
Bond emphasized that this is a time for Middleton to focus on regaining her strength, both physically and mentally, and that she likely would not welcome tackling the family rift at this juncture. However, Bond noted that if Markle were to send flowers or goodies to cheer up the princess, the gesture would be politely accepted.
The mixed reactions to Markle's reported attempts to reach out to Middleton highlight the ongoing tensions within the royal family and the challenges they face in mending their fractured relationships. While some may view the Duchess of Sussex's actions as a genuine show of concern, others question the timing and appropriateness of her alleged support.
Middleton, who hasn't been seen in public since Christmas 2023, except for a few blurry photos of her traveling in cars, is set to skip the annual St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, England. The event, which she typically attends every year, holds special significance for the princess, who became the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards last year following the death of Queen Elizabeth.
