Kate Accused of Taking a Page Out of the Sussexes' Playbook — and Getting Away With It
Kate Middleton completed the Three Peaks Challenge recently, but the feat revived a new comparison battle with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The rift between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and Prince William and Kate Middleton, is not new. Neither are the constant fan wars on social media, each faction armed with a set list of criticisms against the other. And one of the key claims levied against the Sussexes has always been that they are inauthentic and camera-hungry. But when pictures of Middleton’s National Three Peaks Challenge emerged on social media, similar accusations were leveled at her, with fans wondering how being followed by a camera crew is any different than what the Sussexes do.
Jacky Leung, who had a sweet conversation with the Princess of Wales during her climb to Ben Nevis, shared a video of her on Instagram. Recently, an X user reposted the video saying, “I find it fascinating that Harry and Meghan get criticized for ‘doing charity for the cameras’, accused of staging photo-ops, short appearances, or publicizing good deeds mainly for PR and personal branding, rather than philanthropy.”
After completing the arduous undertaking, Middleton had posted a heart-touching note about fighting against cancer and had revealed that she had supported the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity through the challenge. The X user further added, “Yet, Kate can’t climb a mountain without a camera crew in tow, a professionally edited video, photos, and a polished personal statement about it. Same playbook: publicizing charity work with media support. One gets called inauthentic PR, the other gets praised as ‘inspiring.’ Anyway, congratulations to Kate and her cameramen on completing the National Three Peaks Challenge! “
The user’s claims sparked a mixed response in the comment section, with many other social media users agreeing with his statement, while others defended the Princess of Wales. “When have they done anything but wave with cameras around them,” one user commented, while another wrote, “The difference is we know she is doing this for good reasons. With Meghan there is a suspicion (rightly or wrongly) that there is a hidden agenda of doing it for good PR in relation to her business dealings. Catherine is not selling Jam on the side.” Another social media user mentioned, "The Royal Marsden will no doubt benefit from the footage. I do hope so. The video hopefully will be shown on UK TV to highlight cancer therapies and give much needed inspiration to cancer sufferers. Also Catherine will want something to show her children."
Another bone of contention recently came forward when the beloved royal donated money through JustGiving using the name, ‘Catherine Wales’, opening an old wound when her sister-in-law had claimed her last name was ‘Sussex’. The Duchess had faced a lot of heat for the statement at the time. An X user wrote, “So Prince Harry’s wife can’t be called Meghan Sussex without causing an uproar, but Kate can sign off online as Catherine Wales & there’s no uproar.” While the debate essentially centered on working and non-working royals, the rift between the two women may have boiled down to what one X user put it: “One is much loved, the other is not.”
Harry and Markle are set to visit the UK in July for the 100-day countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham. They are expected to bring their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, along with them, and may have two very special plans on the itinerary. One: a reunion with King Charles; the other: taking the kids along to see Princess Diana’s grave at Althorp. However, a reconciliation with William and Middleton may not be on the cards.
