London - Rumours have long swirled of a row between the Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan Markle at the royal wedding two years ago.
Now it is claimed that the spat centred on whether Princess Charlotte and the other young bridesmaids at Meghan’s marriage to Harry in May 2018 should wear tights.
Society bible Tatler details the alleged fall-out in a profile of Kate, 38, in its latest issue. It also carries claims that Kate feels "exhausted and trapped" by the increased workload following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from royal life.
The profile, titled Catherine the Great, quotes one unnamed friend who claims Kate wanted to follow "protocol", with the bridesmaids, including Charlotte, then three, wearing tights – but Meghan disagreed.
"There was an incident at the wedding rehearsal," the source said. "It was a hot day and apparently there was a row over whether the bridesmaids should wear tights or not.
"Kate, following protocol, felt that they should. Meghan didn’t want them to."
Pictures from the wedding at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, appear to show the six bridesmaids with bare legs, while photographs from Prince William and Kate’s wedding in April 2011 show bridesmaids wearing tights.
Another friend of the Cambridges said Kate feels exhausted as she and William, 37, are forced to take on more royal duties after Harry, 35, and Meghan quit the family at the end of March.
The couple, who also have sons George, six, and Louis, two – have made several appearances by video link during lockdown, while Harry and 38-year-old Meghan are setting up their new life with son Archie, one, in Los Angeles.
A source claimed: "Kate is furious about the larger workload.
"Of course she’s smiling and dressing appropriately but she doesn’t want this. She feels exhausted and trapped. She’s working as hard as a top CEO, who has to be wheeled out all the time, without the benefits of boundaries and plenty of holidays."
Another told Tatler: "Meghan and Harry have been so selfish. William and Catherine really wanted to be hands-on parents and the Sussexes have effectively thrown their three children under a bus.
"There goes their morning school runs as the responsibilities on them now are enormous." However, royal sources said on Tuesday that the claim that Kate is unhappy about her workload is false.
The profile was written by Anna Pasternak, the author who made her name in 1994 with "Princess In Love", a book about Princess Diana’s five-year affair with former army officer James Hewitt.
It was claimed in November 2018 that Meghan had reduced Kate to tears over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid’s dress.
The Daily Telegraph reported that two sources said the Duchess of Cambridge was crying after a dress fitting with Charlotte.
"Kate had only just given birth to Prince Louis and was feeling quite emotional," a source claimed.