Years after the incident first made headlines, one particular moment continues to resurface whenever discussions turn
to royal favouritism and the Sussexes’ grievances: the day the Palace publicly defended Catherine, Princess of Wales — and Meghan Markle reportedly reacted with fury.
At the time, it was described as a breaking point. Today, it is increasingly viewed as an early glimpse into how deeply divided the family had already become.
A swift defence — and a bitter comparison
In June 2020, Kensington Palace moved quickly to issue a rare public rebuttal after Tatler magazine published an article portraying Kate as overwhelmed and resentful of her royal workload following Harry and Meghan’s departure.
The Palace dismissed the claims outright, calling them inaccurate and misleading.
For Meghan, according to friends quoted by Daily Mail, that swift intervention reopened old wounds.
A source close to the Duchess said Meghan was deeply upset, arguing that the Palace had never acted with the same urgency when she herself was subjected to months of negative and, at times, hostile press coverage.
“Meghan said Kensington Palace never once stepped in to protect her when the media was tearing her apart,” the friend claimed.
“But when Kate faced one negative article, the Palace responded in less than 24 hours.”
“A slap in the face”
According to the same source, Meghan described the Palace’s response as “a slap in the face” — not only to herself, but to Prince Harry as well.
The Sussexes, the source said, had repeatedly hoped for institutional support during their time as working royals, only to feel ignored.
Yet when Kate was criticised, protection appeared immediate and decisive.
To Meghan, the contrast was impossible to ignore.
Feeling like the outsider
Those close to the Duchess claim this incident reinforced a belief she had long held: that she was never truly embraced by the Royal Family.
Meghan reportedly told friends that instead of receiving understanding, she was made to feel as though she was “asking too much” — when, in her view, she was simply seeking the same backing afforded to others.
That perceived imbalance, sources say, played a significant role in the Sussexes’ decision to step away from royal life altogether.
Not the first time — and not the last
This was not the first occasion Meghan was said to have expressed anger over what she viewed as preferential treatment toward her sister-in-law.
In interviews since, she has repeatedly returned to the idea that she and Harry were left exposed, unheard and unsupported — themes that later dominated the couple’s Oprah Winfrey interview and Netflix series.
Royal commentators now argue that the Palace’s defence of Kate, while consistent with protocol, inadvertently became a symbol of everything Meghan felt was denied to her.
The article that triggered it all
The Tatler piece in question, written by Anna Pasternak, claimed Kate was exhausted and frustrated by an increased workload, likening her role to that of a “top CEO” with no days off.
Kensington Palace firmly rejected the portrayal.
“It is not true to say the Duchess of Cambridge feels exhausted or trapped by her role,” the Palace said, also dismissing other personal claims in the article as “absurd”.
The statement was brief — but its impact was lasting.
Revisited through today’s lens
With the benefit of hindsight, royal watchers now see this episode as more than a fleeting media dispute.
It exposed two fundamentally different expectations of royal life:
one grounded in silence, hierarchy and institutional discipline —
the other in perceived fairness, emotional validation and public defence.
For Meghan, the Palace’s actions appeared selective.
For the Palace, they were procedural.
That gap in interpretation would only widen.
A moment that still resonates
Today, as Meghan continues to frame her royal experience as one marked by neglect and bias, this incident is frequently cited as evidence — or contradiction — depending on where one stands.
To her critics, the Palace’s defence of Kate reflected restraint, not favouritism.
To her supporters, it confirmed a double standard.
Either way, the moment has endured.
Not because of what was said publicly —
but because of what it revealed privately.
A family already fractured.
An institution unwilling to bend.
And a Duchess who saw loyalty elsewhere — and took it as a personal betrayal.