Princess Kate’s Italy Tour Gets One Thing Right That Meghan Markle Never Pulled Off
Kate's warmth and elegance compelled many to compare her with her estranged sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.
Princess Kate marked her first overseas tour on May 13, 2026, in Reggio Emilia, Italy, after taking it slow for a while owing to her cancer diagnosis. The Princess visited the city to mark a cause close to her heart, which is the expansion of her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood charity overseas. As expected, a huge crowd gathered around the city hall to catch a glimpse of the Princess, and while it is nothing out of the ordinary for the royals, Kate's warmth and elegance compelled many to compare her with her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle. The former Suits actress, just a month back, visited Australia for a quasi-royal tour, and the difference between the duo is now clearly visible.
Royal expert Alicia Liberty, expressing her opinions to the Express UK, shared, "The Princess of Wales did not need a glossy summit, a curated panel discussion, or a carefully choreographed tour to win over the public in Italy. She simply stepped out of a car alone, smiled warmly at the crowds who gathered in the thousands, and did what the Royal Family has always done best—connected with people naturally." As per Liberty, Kate's charm enchanted many, and they could clearly see glimpses of Princess Diana in her, but with Markle, it's a completely different story.
Comparing her to Markle, Liberty continued, "While Meghan’s recent Australia visit carried all the optics of a royal tour, Catherine’s reception in Italy felt entirely organic. There were no awkward attempts to recreate the magic of monarchy. No carefully over-produced branding exercise masquerading as duty. Just a future Queen doing what comes instinctively to her." The expert opined that Kate never demands attention but solely focuses on the cause, which organically helps her to gain the spotlight. "Catherine understands that royal engagements are not about becoming the center of attention. They are about making the people you meet feel seen," said Liberty.
She further elaborated that, without using any words and simply by her conduct, Kate highlighted everything that is fundamentally wrong with Markle. "And frankly, the contrast between Catherine’s reception in Italy and Meghan Markle’s recent tour of Australia could not have been more stark if it tried," she added. Liberty explained, "While Catherine was being welcomed by enormous crowds who appeared genuinely thrilled to see her, Meghan’s trip carried the unmistakable feeling of a celebrity PR exercise awkwardly dressed up as a royal engagement."
The expert quipped, "That is the fundamental problem the Sussexes continue to run into: you cannot recreate the aesthetics of monarchy without the monarchy itself." While Prince Harry and Markle's Australian tour was picture-perfect with well-curated speeches and events, it could never hold a candle to actual royal tours. "The Australia visit was presented with all the hallmarks of a royal tour—the walkabouts, the speeches, the carefully curated photographs, but without the public duty element that gives those moments meaning in the first place," explained the expert.
This is not the first instance of Markle's Australian tour being critiqued; even previously, Aussies expressed their frustration over the Sussexes using their public resources to fund their security and other expenses. "And that criticism did not appear entirely unfair. Unlike working royals, Meghan and Harry no longer represent the Crown. They represent themselves, and there was financial gain. The Duchess, 44, appeared at a women-only weekend retreat in Sydney, with tickets starting at A$2,699 (£1,400) per person," shared Liberty. On the other hand, Kate's visit comes with a cause that pledges to uplift the society, a complete contradiction to Markle's PR tour.
