The News
Fashion Fiasco: The Royal Rift Between Kate and Meghan
A longstanding source of tension between the Princess of Wales and Meghan Markle has been their mutual admiration for a high-end fashion brand and the battle for priority in acquiring luxury designs.
Both Kate and Meghan are known fans of British designer Erdem Mouralioglu, with the Duchess of Sussex developing a fondness for his creations during her acting career.
Despite showcasing his designs at various events prior to her royal tenure starting in 2016, Meghan reportedly faced challenges when she joined the royal family, as the Princess of Wales was allegedly given precedence due to her existing patronage.
Recent rumors have emerged suggesting that the reason behind designer Erdem Mouralioglu favoring orders from Catherine, the Princess of Wales, over those from Meghan could be linked to an incident involving a borrowed dress for the 2017 Invictus Games.
Sources close to the matter have disclosed that Catherine had been a devoted admirer of Erdem's work for a considerable period, even purchasing her own dresses from the designer.
It is hinted that Catherine's practice of re-wearing Erdem designs might have led to special treatment, potentially earning her a discount and establishing her as an unofficial brand ambassador.
Conversely, Meghan's alleged expectations of similar benefits, including discounts or complimentary clothing from Erdem, may not have been met as the designer purportedly emphasized that past loans did not guarantee preferential treatment in the future.
Catherine's loyalty as a paying customer and her propensity to repeatedly wear the designer's creations likely influenced Erdem's decision to prioritize her orders.
The combination of her prominent status and the likelihood of continued public appearances in Erdem's attire could have made her a more appealing choice for the designer.
While speculations swirl around Meghan's failure to return the borrowed dress, her reported history of inadvertently keeping items, such as shoes from a photoshoot and loaned jewelry during the Australian tour, raises questions about her borrowing etiquette.
Such actions, if accurate, may have impacted her standing in receiving designer garments.
Catherine's established relationship with Erdem and her consistent patronage would have presumably secured her priority irrespective of the circumstances.
In a revealing interview with ITV's Tom Bradby, Prince Harry disclosed that Prince William and Kate Middleton had not anticipated his relationship with Meghan, given her thriving career.
When pressed on the reasons behind the strained dynamic between the women, Harry attributed it to various factors.
The media narrative quickly pitted Meghan against Kate, he remarked, recounting a pivotal meeting in June 2018 at Kensington Palace where tensions were acknowledged and misunderstandings addressed.
Harry elaborated that Kate had misconstrued Meghan's intentions regarding fashion contacts, highlighting a miscommunication that nearly went unnoticed.
He suggested that they had started off on the wrong foot, emphasizing that Meghan had her own network of industry connections.
In a candid moment, he accused Kate of stereotyping Meghan, insinuating that such preconceptions had hindered their relationship.
Notably, editor-in-chief of Majdi magazine and royal biographer Ingrid Seward expressed belief that Kate would feel upset and aggrieved by Harry's public revelations about her.