Kate Middleton Will 'Rise Above' Meghan Markle's Barbs Amid Royal Rift, Expert Claims

Six years after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepped back from royal life, the question persists: will the Wales and Sussex households ever reunite? A royal commentator has now offered a glimpse of how Kate Middleton might respond if that day arrives.

According to Jennie Bond, English journalist and former BBC royal correspondent, any reconciliation would rest with the two brothers rather than their wives. Still, she believes Kate's likely reaction to years of public sniping says a great deal about her character.

What Kate Middleton Would Do if Prince William and Prince Harry Ever Make Up

Jennie Bond has claimed the real rift sits between the royal siblings, not their wives. She said Kate and Meghan would ultimately follow whatever the brothers decide.

She told New magazine: 'The battle is really between the brothers. I'm sure if William and Harry ever come to a point when they want to settle their differences, their wives will support them and follow their lead.'

Bond does not expect the two women to grow close even if that happens. She suggested, however, the Princess of Wales would instead choose to rise above the situation entirely.

Bond characterised Meghan's past comments as barbs, though the Duchess of Sussex has described her own remarks as attempts at warmth that were misunderstood. Bond explained: 'I don't think the princess and duchess would ever be particularly close, but I think Catherine would simply rise above the barbs that Meghan has launched in her direction.'

The commentator went further, describing Kate as a 'natural peacemaker,' while stressing that no reunion looks imminent. The Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex did not meet when the latter and his family visited the United Kingdom earlier this month.

What Meghan Has Said About Kate — From Oprah to Netflix

Meghan has addressed her sister-in-law directly only a handful of times, most memorably during her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Asked whether she had made Kate cry before the royal wedding, Meghan denied it outright.

She told Oprah: 'No, no, the reverse happened.' She explained that a disagreement over Princess Charlotte's flower girl dress had left her in tears days before her 2018 wedding. She said Kate later apologised with flowers and a note, taking responsibility for the upset.

The Duchess of Sussex also touched on Kate in the couple's 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, recalling an early dinner where her instinct to hug her new sister-in-law was met with reserve. Meghan's account of that awkward hug later became one of the series' most talked-about moments.

She said: 'Even when Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I've always been a hugger. I didn't realize that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits. I guess I started to understand really quickly that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside.'

Prince Harry gave his own version of events in the memoir Spare, writing that Meghan had made an offhand comment about Kate having baby brain from hormones. Harry's account, which sparked significant media coverage at the time, also described Meghan's remark as an offhand joke that was taken seriously. The comment is said to have sparked a serious row between the two households.

Wimbledon 2019 to Windsor 2022: Kate and Meghan's Last Public Appearances

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are close in age and both married into the family through princes, though only one of them will become queen. Kate married the future king, while Meghan married a prince further down the line of succession.

The Princess of Wales has never spoken publicly about Meghan in any interview, maintaining a notably guarded public stance throughout years of headlines. Royal commentators have frequently speculated on the relationship, though no official account has been confirmed.

The two women's most visible joint appearance came at Wimbledon in 2019, when they sat together in the Royal Box to watch Serena Williams. Kate has been patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club since 2016 and presents the championship trophies each year.

Their last public appearance together, however, came under far different circumstances. On 10 September 2022, two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Kate and Meghan joined their husbands for a walkabout at Windsor Castle, viewing floral tributes and greeting mourners together.

For now, royal watchers will have to wait. Neither Kensington Palace nor Buckingham Palace has commented on the prospect of a reconciliation, and the brothers remain separated by more than geography.