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Kate Middleton and Prince William felt they had to “up their game” when Meghan Markle became engaged to Prince Harry and charmed members of the public, a new book says.
In The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown by Katie Nicholl, the author writes about the Duchess of Sussex’s first public engagements after she and Prince Harry made their relationship public.
After joining the Royal Family, Meghan was invited to join the Royal Foundation along with her fiancé Prince Harry and the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Pictured LR: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Prince William speaking at a forum for the Royal Foundation in 2018
The ‘Fab Four’ were reunited in their grief two days after the Queen’s death when they appeared outside Windsor Castle, dressed all in black, to thank the public for their good wishes and tribute to the late monarch
But in her new book, Nicholl claims Meghan’s first public appearance as a board member of the Foundation was a wake-up call for Kate and William, The Mirror reports.
In February 2018, the ‘Fab Four’ took part in a forum for the Royal Foundation, where they spoke about their charitable projects.
However, Nicholl wrote in her book that Meghan was the “breakthrough star” of the foursome, showing her wit and charm as she spoke on the panel and answered questions.
She quoted a source as saying: “That was a wake-up moment for William and Kate when they realized that Meghan was very impressive, very confident and very capable.”
Other claims in Nicholl’s book include that the Queen was “hurt and exhausted” by Harry and Meghan’s decision to leave The Firm and move to the US.
King Charles allowed Prince Harry (pictured), who served in Afghanistan, to wear his military uniform when he attended a vigil Saturday night during which he guarded the Queen’s casket in Westminster Hall
A source close to the Queen has claimed the couple’s decision has “hurt Her Majesty very much” and is unable to think through the situation. Pictured: Her Majesty stood next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018
An excerpt from the book, which was published in Vanity Fairrevealed that the Queen was also disappointed when Harry and Meghan did not return to the UK in August with Archie and Lilibet, where she hosted an annual ‘slumber party’ in Sandringham with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
The source added that Her Majesty was more sorry that the Sussexes’ move meant she hadn’t been able to see as much of Archie and Lilibet as she would have liked.
Her Majesty died on September 8 at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle, at which time her eldest son Charles automatically became king.
As the monarch, the book claims that Charles is eager to heal the rift between the family and his youngest son Harry, 38.
In his first televised address to the nation on Sept. 9, King Charles said, “I also want to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives abroad.”
Some royal fans have argued that the mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was an ‘olive branch’ towards the couple, who happened to be visiting Europe when the Queen died.
Harry and Meghan, who now live in a $14 million mansion in Santa Barbara, California, extended their trip and stayed at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate during the period of mourning following the Queen’s death and before her state funeral, engagement service and private funeral on Monday.
Despite the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the family, there have been glimpses of a possible reconciliation after the Queen’s death.
On the Saturday after the monarch died, the Prince and Princess of Wales made their first public appearance outside the Windsor Estate to read the tributes bequeathed to Her Majesty and greet the mourners.
In an unexpected appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the couple as the ‘Fab Four’ were reunited in their grief.
King Charles also allowed Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, to wear his military uniform at a wake last Saturday night with the Queen’s other grandchildren, in which they guarded her coffin as it lay in state in Westminster Hall.
Despite no longer being a working royal, King Charles allowed his youngest son to don the military uniform so that he could honor his grandmother.
After Harry and Meghan left The Firm in February 2020, relations between the Duke of Sussex and his father and brother became tense.
The rift in the family deepened a year later when the Sussexes took part in an explosive interview with American presenter and journalist Oprah Winfrey, in which they made controversial claims about the royal family.