Meghan Markle Isn't Prince Harry's Only Partner To Have Tension With Kate Middleton

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We all know that Catherine, Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex definitely do not get along. Interestingly, though, when Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex started dating Meghan, it wasn't the first time Kate Middleton didn't click with her brother-in-law's partner. Amidst rumors that Meghan has jealousy issues when it comes to Kate, plenty of folks blame Harry's wife for the feud. Yet, details about Harry's ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy and her own relationship with Kate offer new insight into the royal family dynamics. 

Harry intermittently dated Davy from 2004 to 2010, and during that time, Kate was seeing his brother William, Prince of Wales. She reportedly attempted to become friends with Davy, however this didn't go as Kate had planned. Royal scholar Katie Nicholl spoke about this surprising dynamic in her book, "Kate: The Future Queen." "[Kate's] friendship with Chelsy was lukewarm," Nicholl wrote, noting, "they were completely different characters and the bubbly Zimbabwean got along better with Pippa [Middleton]. Kate had made an effort to befriend Chelsy, inviting her clothes shopping, but Chelsy had turned the offer down, leading to a coolness between them," per Marie Claire. 

While it may have presented a struggle, it's no surprise that Kate sought friendships with Harry's partners, since they would likely also be spending a good amount of time with her partner, William. In an exclusive interview with The List, marriage counseling expert Stephanie Wijkstrom, MS, LPC, NBCC explained why it is vital to form relationships with the social circle of your significant other. "Relationships and commitment don't happen in isolation," she said, noting, "It's important for partners to nurture harmony not just with each other, but within their broader circle of relationships."

While Catherine, Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle's relationship has seemingly only gotten worse with time, Kate Middleton reportedly did have moments of friendship with Chelsy Davy during Davy's multi-year relationship with Prince Harry. Katie Nicholl claimed that the pair got closer due to shared nerves when they both met Queen Elizabeth II at a wedding in 2008. Yet, despite things eventually looking up for Kate's relationship with her then-potential-future-sister-in-law, just two years later, Davy and Prince Harry called it quits. Harry, of course, moved onto new relationships and eventually found Meghan, putting Kate back to square one.

We're used to hearing rumors of drama and dysfunction inside the royal family at this point, but struggling to get along with your partner's family or friends is a problem non-royals experience just as frequently. And, according to Stephanie Wijkstrom, putting in work to improve those relationships is important. After all, as she puts it, "We live out our partnerships within the fabric of other relationships that surround us." So, what's the best course of action for Kate and others in her position? Wijkstrom says, "Practice acceptance! Is the person you're struggling to connect with someone you would want to spend time with if they weren't affiliated with your partner? The absence of a positive relationship doesn't need to be a negative one." According to her, "Diplomatic neutrality can become the next emotional and behavioral goal." Hopefully Kate and Meghan are taking notes.