Meghan Markle's Exit From The Royal Family Left Kate Middleton Lonelier Than We Realized

When discussing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex Harry and Meghan's departure from the royal family, most narratives centered around fiery emotions like betrayal, anger, and confusion. What many of these Megxit stories failed to mention, however, was the loneliness that the duke and duchess left in their wake — the loneliness that Catherine, Princess of Wales, still feels today. 

Former royal correspondent Jennie Bond spoke to Great Britain News about Kate Middleton's solitary role as a senior member of her in-laws' familial institution. "Being in the Royal Family is a lonely place," Bond explained, "and Kate's got very few people now, especially after the Queen's death, who she can go to and confide in."

When Meghan Markle first entered the royal fold as Prince Harry's girlfriend, the "Suits" actor appeared to be a promising candidate for a trusted friend, confidant, and colleague to her soon-to-be sister-in-law. However, Harry and Meghan's tumultuous split from the royal family seemingly burned whatever bridge had been built between the two women.

The intense pressure of being a high-profile figure of the royal family can become daunting for even its most senior members, and this unique experience has forged many close bonds throughout the family's history. "Think back to when Diana and Fergie were always giggling and would help each other let off steam," Jennie Bond told GB News. "Kate [Middleton] hasn't got that. The fact that things didn't work out with Meghan was a real blow because Prince Harry's bride would have been another person stuck in the same situation."

In the early days of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's relationship, it seemed like Kate happily took up the role of Markle's trusted advisor and friend. In March 2018, a source close to the family told Entertainment Tonight that the Princess of Wales regularly offered Markle advice on royal-approved fashion and protocol. Kate helped Meghan plan her May 2018 wedding, although a rift over flower girl dresses allegedly resulted in Kate making Meghan cry. 

After Harry and Meghan left the royal family and began denouncing its members in scathing interviews and tell-all memoirs, Kate was forced to seek out friendship elsewhere. Bond told GB News that the princess has a "strong inner circle [that] extends way beyond her parents and siblings." Although Kate has childhood friends and her husband's friends to lean on, the stressful effects of Harry and Meghan's absence are apparent.

Megxit's toll on Prince William and Kate Middleton was far greater than a loss of support and community alone. In the wake of Harry and Meghan's absence, the Prince and Princess of Wales were forced to pick up the slack. Unsurprisingly, this only deepened the animosity between the two couples as the remaining royal members attempted to balance their already full workloads and family life with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's responsibilities.

"Prince William and Kate are feeling incredibly resentful towards Meghan and Harry for leaving them to pick up the work they dropped when they moved to the States," an inside source told Closer magazine (via the New York Post). "It had a huge impact on their marriage and family life. They feel constantly torn apart in different directions, and they insist that wouldn't be happening if Harry and Meghan hadn't abandoned their royal duties."

Stresses continued to rise well into 2024, with news of King Charles III's cancer diagnosis and Kate Middleton's intensive abdominal surgery breaking virtually back to back. An anonymous source told US Weekly that Mather reached out to her father- and sister-in-law to offer her support, "So, moves are being made to reconcile," the source said. Although it's still unclear whether the "fab four" have completely mended fences, perhaps Meghan's olive branch is a sign that Kate hasn't lost her sister-in-law companion after all.