Meghan Markle's Public Appeal Is Getting Under Kate Middleton's Skin After UK Visit, Insider Claims

Meghan Markle's warm reception during a recent visit to Nottingham has reportedly left Kate Middleton unsettled, according to an unnamed insider cited by Heat World.

The claim, which neither Kensington Palace nor the Duchess of Sussex has commented on, suggests the Princess of Wales has noticed the largely positive coverage surrounding Meghan's return to UK public life.

The source said Meghan, 45, had been told by friends that she performed 'just as good, if not better, than Kate with the public' during the Nottingham appearances. 'After years of comparisons, it's a lovely bit of vindication,' the insider claimed, adding that Meghan 'would never go around bragging about that' but 'certainly loves hearing it from her friends'.

IBTimes UK cannot independently verify these claims, so they should be treated with caution. No official statement from the Princess of Wales, Kensington Palace or Meghan's representatives has confirmed how Kate privately reacted to the visit.

Why Meghan Markle's Nottingham Visit Mattered

Meghan and Prince Harry returned to the UK from California in August and later took part in a joint public visit in Nottingham. Heat World described the couple as meeting supporters, with crowd members photographed reaching out to hug Meghan, asking for photographs and handing over gifts.

The outlet reported that the Sussexes were later said to have felt 'emotional' and 'overjoyed' by the response. It also characterised the visit as resembling the kind of public engagement the couple carried out before stepping back as senior working royals in 2020.

That resemblance is central to why the story has attracted attention. A source close to the Sussexes told The Times that Harry and Meghan reject the label 'working members of the royal family', saying: 'They are not 'working' for the institution, but they are members of the royal family, and they work.'

The wording matters because King Charles has previously clarified, according to Heat World, that the couple remain non-working royals. In other words, the Sussexes' return has reopened an old question: how visible can they be in Britain without appearing to resume royal duties?

Kate Middleton's Reported Reaction

The insider told Heat World that Kate, 44, keeps 'a pretty close eye' on Meghan and would be aware that the Nottingham visit was 'a big success'. The source added: 'People tend to underestimate how much this stuff gets under Kate's skin because she's so good at keeping her feelings to herself.'

Yet the same source offered a more complicated picture than a simple rivalry. Kate was described as 'very confident in her own people skills' and as having 'no interest in getting into some sort of popularity contest'.

The insider said, however, that she does not enjoy hearing Meghan praised 'at her expense', particularly given the reported frostiness between them.

There has been no public sign of a rift expressed by Kate herself. The last time Meghan and Kate were said to have come face to face was at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022, according to Heat World.

Comparisons That Will Not Go Away

The Nottingham appearance has revived a familiar royal argument. Heat World reported that body language expert Darren Stanton told InStyle that Meghan appeared skilled at working a crowd, noting the way she bent forward to meet people at eye level. He suggested this resembled an approach often associated with Kate.

The insider claimed Kate had heard comments that Meghan's style seemed to mimic hers. 'On one level, you could argue that imitation is flattering,' the source said, before adding that constant comparisons were 'tiresome'.

What Happens Next

The report also suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no intention of keeping a low profile in the UK. A Sussex source told The Times, via Heat World, that the couple regard themselves as royal family members who work, even if they are not working for the institution.

Heat World further reported that Prince William has no intention of reconciling with Harry, and that Kate would prefer peace but sees a reconciliation as difficult given the state of relations between the brothers. Those claims, again, come from unnamed sources rather than any statement from the Waleses or Sussexes.

For now, the Nottingham visit has done what few recent royal stories have managed: it has put Meghan back at the centre of the conversation. Whether that pleases her, irritates Kate, or simply says more about the public's appetite for a royal rivalry than about either woman is another matter entirely.