Meghan Markle and Kate 'making effort to get along' after major event brought them closer

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have been dogged by persistent claims of a rift between them since shortly after the Duchess of Sussex joined the Royal Family last year. But the birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor has spurred the sisters-in-law to "make an effort to get along" now they have more in common. Royal commentator Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight: "I am told both of them are making an effort to get along.

"The truth of the situation is yes, there have been tensions behind the scenes. I certainly think now that Archie is here, it has probably helped really improve the relationship.

"I hear that Kate has made herself available to Meghan if she needs advice. Kate said to Meghan, ‘I’m here, I’m here for you.’"

Indeed Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have been repeatedly spotted together since the birth of baby Archie in May, with the Duchesses riding together at the Trooping the Colours celebrations in June and later cheering on their husbands at a charity polo match in Berkshire with their children in tow.

Ms Nicholl continued: "The relationship between the Duchesses is actually a lot better, there seemed to be a genuine warmth between the two of them during that carriage ride at Trooping the Colours.

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"We hadn’t expected the Duchesses to turn up with their children – the fact that they did was a wonderful treat for royal watchers but I think those candid pictures were quite deliberately intended to snuff out those rumours of a feud between the four of them.

"Certainly Archie has brought them closer and they will certainly be spending some time together during the summer."

Several commentators had dismissed claims Meghan and Kate did not get along suggesting Prince Harry and Prince William had been the ones suffering a fallout. 

While Meghan and Kate have been seen together on several occasions, both official and non-official, the brothers have not appeared alongside each other in anything other than a ceremonial capacity in months.

While the cause of the problem between William and Harry has never been confirmed, many have attributed the rift to Harry’s relationship with Meghan, or perhaps his newfound sense of freedom now that he is no longer linked to William and Kate.

One well-placed royal insider, a former staffer of the princes' father, Prince Charles, revealed it is likely to run much deeper than that.

He said: “William’s quite controlling, and he was in control when it was just the three of them, but now he’s not.

“I personally wouldn’t over-egg Meghan’s role in all this because it’s unfair, but equally she knows what she’s doing as an actress from Hollywood.

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“She knows all the tricks, she understands the power of social media, and Harry’s getting into all that because he doesn’t much like traditional media either.

“So they’re maxing up their standalone brand. William’s going to have to get used to it.”

Earlier this year Kensington Palace announced Prince Harry and Meghan would receive their personal household once their relocation to Frogmore Cottage, Windsor, became official.

The split provided the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with their personal communication team separate from Kate and William's and their own social media accounts.

Last month it was also confirmed the couples will no longer work together within the Royal Foundation, the charitable organisation Harry and William created together in 2009 and which Kate and Meghan joined when they married into the Royal Family in 2011 and 2018 respectively.