Prince Harry and Meghan Markle find themselves at the center of a new royal controversy, despite having no direct involvement. Their fervent fanbase, known as the Sussex Squad, is being accused of spreading rumors about Kate Middleton’s health crisis.
Speculation has been rampant, with theories ranging from the Princess of Wales undergoing a facelift to negotiating a divorce from Prince William. These claims lack evidence and are likely exacerbating Kate’s mental health during this sensitive period. Publicist Mark Borkowski criticized Harry and Meghan’s fans for being part of a social media army driving these conspiracy theories.
Borkowski told Newsweek, “There are some lines of demarcation, particularly concerning the health of the king and Kate. I don’t think Harry and Meghan are deploying their troops. This is more about the danger of uncontrollable foot soldiers who enjoy their own coverage.” He emphasized that spreading rumors is a “danger to truth.”
While Borkowski’s concerns are valid, the blame also falls on Kensington Palace’s communications team for mishandling the PR crisis during Kate’s absence from the public eye. The royal family’s communication style has been chaotic since Harry and Meghan’s exit from their senior roles.
Harry and Meghan have also been victims of social media rumors. A 2021 Bot Sentinel study revealed that Meghan was targeted by certain Twitter accounts. Christopher Bouzy, CEO of Bot Sentinel, told Buzzfeed News, “This campaign comes from people who know how to manipulate algorithms and stay under the wire to avoid detection and suspension.”
The controversy surrounding Kate’s disappearance initially gained traction due to the online activity of Meghan and Harry’s supporters. As royals reporter Ellie Hall explained, early discussions about Kate’s absence were driven by pro-Meghan and Harry accounts in royal-watcher internet communities.
“It’s one of the points that keeps coming up in the online discourse — the apparent hypocrisy between the palace and the UK media’s treatment of each woman,” Hall noted. “People are comparing the hands-off, privacy-first stance toward Kate with their attitude toward Meghan during her maternity leave.”
Meghan and Kate have been treated as each other’s opposites since Meghan and Harry’s engagement. Their differing treatments by the monarchy and the press symbolize Britain’s values and priorities. Kate and Meghan represent different ways of being women, royals, and famous — and different responses to the legacy of Princess Diana.
Diana’s death in 1997 left a lasting impact on the British monarchy. She symbolized both the potential for genuine connections and the dangers of tabloid gossip. The royal family vowed that another Diana-like figure would never emerge, but Meghan and Kate were inevitably compared to her.
As soon as Meghan and Harry got engaged, observers anticipated a “sisters at war” narrative. Royal biographer Andrew Morton noted in 2018, “Young royal sisters-in-law are set up for failure. They’re compared incessantly in a way that never happens to royal men.”
Harry’s memoir “Spare” describes the moment he realized Meghan and Kate would be pitted against each other. After their first public appearance together, the tabloids created controversy over their differing support for #MeToo, based on their outfits.
Harry acknowledged a real difference in personality between Meghan and Kate. Meghan’s casual style clashed with Kate’s formality, leading to minor tensions that the press amplified into a larger narrative.
The “small clash of styles” became the basis for a binary: warm, casual Meghan versus cool, restrained Kate. The tabloids portrayed Meghan as either refreshingly independent or entitled, and Kate as either a well-seasoned royal or a passive throwback.
Coverage of Meghan grew increasingly racist, while Kate was positioned as the winner of the imagined war. The binary narrative persisted, with Meghan and Kate’s actions interpreted through this lens.
This tabloid narrative has less to do with who Meghan and Kate are and more with what they symbolize. Kate represents the monarchy’s continuity, while Meghan represents change and evolution. Both futures have strengths and weaknesses, but the tabloids focus on their perceived flaws.
Before Meghan, Princess Diana embodied the promise of a newer, warmer monarchy. Diana’s messy, human side made the royal family look cold and tawdry. Her death in 1997, after being chased by paparazzi, left a sense of guilt and a desire for redemption through Kate.
Kate was seen as Diana’s redemption, a future queen consort who could withstand royal life. However, some observers saw her suitability as a tragedy, suggesting a repression of personality. Hilary Mantel wrote in 2013, “Kate seems to have been selected for her role because she was irreproachable.”
Meghan and Kate each have one of Diana’s rings. Kate has the engagement ring, symbolizing duty, while Meghan has the aquamarine ring, symbolizing freedom. Meghan embodies Diana’s warmth and insistence on the coldness of royal life, while Kate embodies the fairy tale.
The speculation over Kate’s disappearance echoed Diana’s story, including rumors of William’s alleged affair. An inner-circle royal reporter drew parallels between Kate’s health and Diana’s mental health struggles.
The controversy over Kate’s disappearance suggested a faint possibility that she might refuse to be looked at, breaking the royal family’s bargain. If even Kate Middleton couldn’t withstand the scrutiny, who could?
