Meghan Markle's firm response to Kate Middleton amid bridesmaid dress drama

13 November 2023 , 15:08

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Meghan was left 'sobbing' (Image: PA)

It's no secret that Kate Middleton and her sister-in-law Meghan Markle don't see eye to eye - not least because of the latter's explosive accusations against the royals. But cracks started to show in their relationship long before Harry and Meghan's exit from the family.

Prince Harry previously revealed details of a tense exchange between the two women that took place ahead of his wedding to Meghan in May 2018. Writing in his tell-all autobiography Spare, the Duke confirmed that the pair fell out over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress.

Harry said that Kate texted Meghan and told her that the bridesmaid dress she had sent for three-year-old Charlotte was too big, too long, too baggy", adding of the little girl: "She cried when she tried it on at home."

The royal women fell out over Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress (AFP/Getty Images)

Meghan hit back by telling Kate that a tailor was standing by at Kensington Palace, and had been waiting for Kate and Charlotte since eight o'clock in the morning. She then asked her future sister-in-law if she could take Charlotte to have the gown altered "as the other mums are doing". But Harry claims that Kate refused to go to the palace to have the dress fixed and instead insisted that all of the bridesmaid dresses needed to be remade.

Meghan wrote back: "I'm not sure what else to say. If the dress doesn't fit then please take Charlotte to see Ajay (the tailor). He's been waiting all day." Kate, according to Harry's recollections in the memoir, reluctantly agreed to do so but pointed out that she had discussed the issue with her own wedding designer who had agreed with her stance.

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Harry and Meghan also spoke about the incident to Oprah Winfrey (Harpo Productions/ITV)

Harry went on to claim that the bridesmaid dress row added to Meghan's anxiety over her feud with her father Thomas and other wedding planning stress, and that the altercation left her "sobbing on the floor".

It wasn't the first time that the couple had spoken about the row; they also opened up about the incident during their now infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan claimed that Kate, who had given birth to third son Prince Louis just a few weeks prior to the Sussexes' 2018 wedding, had made her cry and "really hurt my feelings".

She said: "A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something pertaining - yes, the issue was correct - about flower girl dresses, and it made me cry, and it really hurt my feelings. Everyone in the institution knew it wasn't true. I am not sharing that piece about Kate to be in any way disparaging about her. I would hope that she would want that to be corrected."

When Oprah tried to get more details, Meghan stated it would not be fair to go into further details as Kate had apologised. But she did make it clear the incident was a major "turning point". "And she brought me flowers and a note, apologising. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it."

Gemma Strong