Kate Middleton's Intense Stare at Meghan Markle Stirs Speculation

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle put on a united front in the days after Queen Elizabeth II died and fans believe they have spotted a meaningful moment between the two princesses.

Prince Harry's book Spare confirmed there had been tensions between Meghan and Kate dating back at least as far as the build up to the Sussex wedding in May 2018.

However, the two sisters-in-law joined their husbands to put on a united front on September 10, 2022, in the days after the queen's death on September 8.

The two couples stepped out to meet well-wishers and inspect tributes at Windsor Castle in front of the press as fans shot their own footage on mobile phones.

Two separate videos of Kate and Meghan have gone viral on TikTok, including one which was viewed 263,000 times and liked 19,500 times.

Another from a different angle was viewed 679,000 times and liked 76,000 times. The clip came towards the end of the event, just before the four royals left by car and after they had met supporters.

One comment, liked more than 1,000 times, read: "Kate stared into her soul."

The footage was posted with the caption, "They could have had it all," and compared the moment to another joint appearance in December 2018 when the two royals smiled at each other.

One comment read: "No matter what happened between them don't ever forget their Friendship/Bond they used too have."

Another read: "That stare Kate gave her."

Interestingly, the earlier clip also showed the princesses putting on a united front, on Christmas Day, at Sandringham in 2018, during another period of heightened speculation about their relationship.

The weeks leading up to the visit to church had seen stories suggesting Meghan's staff found her difficult to work for and an allegation she made Kate cry, which Meghan says was false.

In reality, Harry's book suggests tensions began to emerge between Meghan and Kate in the run up to the Sussex royal wedding in May 2018, though Meghan had suspected tension dating back to the earliest days of their relationship.

Harry said there had been clear the air talks between the couple as early as June 2018 at which: "Meg then acknowledged the tension among the four of us and ventured that it might go back to those early days when she'd first joined the family—a misunderstanding that had almost passed without notice.

"Kate thought Meg had wanted her fashion contacts. But Meg had her own. They'd got off on the wrong foot perhaps?"

However, Kate offered another explanation. "You hurt my feelings, Meghan," she is quoted as saying. "I told you I couldn't remember something and you said it was my hormones."

It is always unclear how much can be read into fleeting moments of body language and particularly so in light of the pressure the two couples were under at Windsor in 2022.

However, the preceding days had been difficult for the relationship between the Waleses and the Sussexes.

Harry had been left to make his own travel arrangements to Scotland while the queen was ill, having texted William and received no response.

King Charles III had also rung Harry to say Meghan should not join him on the emotionally difficult journey. Harry wrote in his memoir: "He said I was welcome at Balmoral, but he didn't want...her. He started to lay out his reason, which was nonsensical, and disrespectful, and I wasn't having it.

"'Don't ever speak about my wife that way.' He stammered, apologetic, saying he simply didn't want a lot of people around. No other wives were coming, Kate wasn't coming, he said, therefore Meg shouldn't."

Harry then discovered his grandmother had died via a story on the BBC website, after the media had been informed.

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.