When Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton decided to attend Wimbledon together in July 2019, it seemed like a promising sign of a growing sisterly bond.
The event, set in the historic and glamorous surroundings of Wimbledon, appeared to be the perfect backdrop for two royal women to share a day out.
With Kate being the patron of the All England Lawn Tennis Club since 2016 and Meghan a known supporter of her friend Serena Williams, both women shared a passion for tennis.
But, while the scene seemed to project unity, the reality behind the scenes was quite different.
The Wimbledon Day That Looked Perfect
At first glance, everything seemed perfect. The two women, along with Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton, sat together in the royal box, showing a united front.
Both dressed impeccably—Meghan in a white Givenchy shirt and a patterned Hugo Boss skirt, and Kate in a stunning custom-made green Dolce & Gabbana dress.
The match they had come to watch, the Ladies’ Singles Final between Serena Williams and Simona Halep, was a spectacle, but for Meghan, it was bittersweet.
She had hoped to see her friend Serena triumph, but instead, Halep took the title with a dominant performance, winning 6-2, 6-2 in just 56 minutes.
However, while the event appeared harmonious, body language experts later pointed out that there were subtle signs of tension beneath the surface.
Meghan was positioned between Kate and Pippa, creating what was described as a ‘Middleton sandwich.’
This positioning might have appeared welcoming, but it also seemed to highlight Meghan’s role as the ‘third sister,’ trying to integrate into a well-established dynamic.
According to body language experts, Meghan’s lack of eye contact with Kate and the physical barriers she put up during conversations suggested that the warmth between them was more of a façade than a true bond.
The Hidden Tensions: A Deeper Look
The 2019 Wimbledon trip was not the first time Kate and Meghan had attended the event together.
In 2018, the pair had been seen laughing together, with Meghan looking genuinely delighted as she shared something captivating with Kate. At that time, the two seemed to be forming a promising friendship, and many royal watchers speculated that their relationship could mirror the bond between Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson.
However, by the following year, experts observed that the chemistry between the two was noticeably absent.
Instead of shared glances or signs of developing closeness, there was a distinct lack of the usual markers of friendship.
In fact, Meghan and Kate’s interactions during Wimbledon 2019 were marked by politeness but no evident warmth.
Despite sitting close to each other, they didn’t exchange much beyond the surface-level pleasantries.
The lack of connection was so apparent that body language experts speculated that Kate had adopted a more “adult stance” towards Meghan, and it was clear that their relationship had not progressed as many had hoped.
Behind Closed Doors: The Strain of Royal Expectations
Though there were no overt signs of animosity, the subtle tension spoke volumes.
Meghan, who was still adjusting to her new royal life, had been advised by royal insiders on how she should behave, which likely added to the strain.
In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan admitted that her experience in the royal family was far different from what it appeared.
She revealed that, despite being made to feel welcome in public, her personal experience felt isolating and lonely.
Her frustrations grew, as she described how she felt pressure to “lay low” despite barely leaving the house.
Later, at a charity polo match in 2019, Kate and Meghan’s strained dynamic was evident once again.
Although the two mothers attended together with their children to watch their husbands play, they barely interacted.
Photographs from the event showed Meghan holding her newborn son while Kate focused on her own children.
The contrast between their isolated positions highlighted how far their relationship had drifted from the warmth many had expected.
The Final Blow: The Breaking Point in 2020
Looking back, it’s clear that the 2019 Wimbledon outing was one of the last public appearances of Kate and Meghan’s strained relationship.
Just months later, in January 2020, Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step away from royal duties.
Their departure marked a new chapter in their lives, but also underscored the deepening divide between Meghan and Kate.
By September 2022, when the royal family gathered following Queen Elizabeth’s death, the tension between the two women was still palpable.
The awkwardness of that moment was so intense that Kate later admitted it was one of the hardest things she had ever done, according to royal sources.
Since then, the two women have lived in completely separate worlds.
Despite once being sisters-in-law, their paths have diverged dramatically.
There have been no public appearances together, not even a trip to Wimbledon, which once seemed like a symbol of a budding sisterly bond.
Their relationship, once full of promise, has become yet another chapter in the ongoing saga of royal tensions.