Meghan Markle is reportedly voicing fresh frustration over what she sees as "outrageous double standards" in the public treatment of her family compared with Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William after a widely praised anniversary photograph released by Kensington Palace reignited comparisons between the two royal couples.
The image, shared on the Prince and Princess of Wales' official social media accounts on April 29, showed William and Kate relaxing in long grass alongside their children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - during a family break in Norfolk.
The casual portrait, which also included the family's spaniels Orla and Otto, was warmly received online, with royal supporters praising the image as a symbol of family unity and resilience following Kate's cancer diagnosis and subsequent announcement earlier this year that she was in remission.
But according to a source quoted by Heat magazine, the reaction struck a nerve in Montecito, where Meghan and Prince Harry live with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
"It's like there's one set of rules for William and Kate and another for Meghan and Harry," the insider claimed. "This latest photo has got all the resentment over the double standards bubbling back up."
The contrast, according to people close to Meghan, lies not simply in the photographs themselves but in how they are interpreted publicly. Supporters of the Duchess argue that when William and Kate share intimate family portraits, the images are framed as dignified glimpses into royal family life. When Meghan posts personal family content, critics often accuse her of self-promotion or commercial opportunism.
Last March, Meghan shared a black-and-white image through her As Ever lifestyle brand showing her carrying Lilibet while Archie embraced her from behind. The accompanying caption read: "Every day is a love story."
The response online proved sharply divided. Some social media users accused Meghan of leveraging family imagery to support a commercial venture, despite the fact that Archie and Lilibet's faces were not fully shown.
"Kate and William are very clearly using their children as part of the royal image and the branding of the family," the insider said. "Yet Meghan's been criticised and picked apart for even including the smallest glimpse of Archie and Lilibet on her social media."
The latest claims underscore how deeply the rivalry narrative between Meghan and Kate continues to shape royal coverage nearly six years after Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals.
Since Meghan's relationship with Harry became public in 2017, media comparisons between the two women have become a defining feature of royal reporting, spanning everything from fashion choices to parenting styles and palace protocol. Supporters of Meghan have long argued that some criticism directed at her carried racial undertones and reflected double standards within sections of the British press.
The tensions escalated publicly after reports emerged ahead of Harry and Meghan's 2018 wedding alleging Meghan had made Kate cry during a dispute involving bridesmaid dresses for Charlotte. Meghan later disputed that version of events during the couple's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying she had actually been the one left in tears.
Harry reinforced that account in his memoir Spare, writing that he found Meghan "on the floor" emotionally distressed following disagreements involving wedding preparations.
According to the latest insider claims, Meghan now feels permanently cast as what the source described as the monarchy's "pantomime villain," regardless of what she says or does publicly.
"No matter what she does, Kate will be the golden girl and she will be the villain," the source said. "She's still deeply scarred and deeply resentful that they've been turned into total pariahs."
The report also claimed Meghan remains troubled by ongoing speculation that William could one day support efforts to strip Harry and Meghan of their duke and duchess titles if he becomes king. No such move has been publicly proposed by Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace.
People close to William and Kate, meanwhile, reportedly reject the idea that the anniversary photo carried any hidden message toward the Sussexes. According to the same report, the Waleses are focused primarily on family life and have largely stopped engaging emotionally with reactions coming from California.
"From William and Kate's point of view, they've stopped analysing Meghan's reactions many moons ago," the insider said. "They're delighted by the way the photo turned out and had a wonderful anniversary celebration."
