Why Kate Middleton & Meghan Markle Weren't Allowed To See The Queen Before Her Death
During her final days, Queen Elizabeth II stuck to her 1947 pledge of lifelong service to her country. Elizabeth had been dealing with health problems for a while, with some asserting that she had bone marrow cancer. Sadly, around midday on September 7, 2022, the monarch's health declined abruptly. Elizabeth was at her beloved Balmoral Estate, and very few royals had a chance to see the queen before she died. While travel time was an obstacle for many family members, two royal spouses, Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, didn't even attempt the trip.
Although Elizabeth's daughters-in-law made the journey, things were different for the next generation. Amid the rush of planning, King Charles III purportedly relayed his preferences to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. "Charles told Harry that it wasn't right or appropriate for Meghan to be in Balmoral at such a deeply sad time," one insider told the Daily Mail in 2022. "It was pointed out to him that Kate was not going."
While early reports asserted that Kate had bowed out due to parental responsibilities, royal author Robert Jobson offered a different theory. "[Charles] wanted to say Meghan was not welcome — but he couldn't say that to Harry, so he personally intervened and asked Kate to stay back so that it was fairer on Meghan," Jobson informed The New York Post. Unfortunately, Kate reportedly experienced some serious internal conflict by going along with this plan, and it further damaged her relationship with Meghan.
Kate and Meghan had very different relationships with Elizabeth
Even though Catherine, Princess of Wales, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, are both Queen Elizabeth's granddaughters-in-law, their interactions with the late monarch were purportedly quite different. For starters, Kate reportedly impressed the queen early, due to her bond with William, Prince of Wales. Elizabeth also appreciated Kate's approach to the monarchy. "Kate asks for advice about speeches she's due to make," one insider divulged to Us Weekly in 2020. "The queen's more than happy to impart her wisdom — she's proud to be Catherine's go-to adviser about royal life." In contrast, Meghan and Elizabeth reportedly clashed in their approach to royal duties, with the resulting ego battle causing a family rift. When Meghan did follow the rules, she found them constraining. When she tried to shake up protocol, it caused consternation for Elizabeth.
"Right from the beginning, Kate had a lot more in common personality wise with Elizabeth," royal expert Victoria Murphy informed the Daily Mail. Time and proximity also played a role in their close connection, likely making it even harder for Kate when she wasn't able to travel to Balmoral when Elizabeth died. Kate married into the royal family seven years earlier than Meghan, and she spent years living fairly close to Elizabeth on the various royal properties. Since Harry and Meghan ended their career as working royals in 2020 and moved to the U.S., Meghan had fewer opportunities to forge a bond with the queen.