Rumors of a rift between the duchesses first emerged after it was announced that Meghan and Harry would be distancing themselves a bit from Kate and William, specifically by creating a separate office for themselves at Kensington Palace. "The arrival of Meghan has changed the dynamic of the relationship in a fairly significant way," royals author Sally Bedell Smith told People in November. She described the move as "inevitable and practical," because it "gives Harry and Meghan some freedom to build up their own collection of interests and charities. Meghan has very strong views on what she is interested in and that may be what Harry shares, but not what William and Kate share."
The drama seemed to hit a fever pitch weeks later when it was announced that Meghan and Harry would also be moving homes ahead of the arrival of their baby. The newlyweds will be leaving the Kensington Palace compound and heading to Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate, where they got married. Soon enough, reports that Meghan and Kate were fighting came in steadily from various outlets, and the rumors were getting so rampant that a Kensington Palace spokesperson released a rare statement shutting down the stories, saying, "This never happened."
Despite the physical distance, the foursome will continue to work together on the Royal Foundation, which focuses on mental health, wildlife and conservation, young people, and the armed forces community. We'll also continue to see them out on official engagements and of course at family functions; but it's worth keeping in mind that technically, Meghan and Kate don't have to be best friends. They can be friendly, work together, and even have disagreements from time to time — again, they are two different people, both with heavy tiaras to wear. Can we give them a break?
