Meghan Markle is not close with Princess Kate, with one royal expert suggesting the Duchess of Sussex was “jealous” of her sister-in-law.

Author Ingrid Seward said Meghan is likely to have been “incredibly envious” of Kate and the relationship she had with Prince Harry. In his debut memoir Spare, Harry gushed over Kate and described her as “the sister I’ve never had and always wanted”.

Ingrid said: “I think he just adored her [Kate] and he was always there, at Kensington Palace.” Now, relationship expert Louella Alderson has given some insight into why Meghan might have been envious of the Princess of Wales.

Prince Harry wrote kind things about his sister-in-law ( Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, she said: “It’s likely that Meghan felt a sense of competition with Kate. She seems to have a competitive streak and enjoys being in the spotlight.

“The constant media attention and comparisons being made between the two women may have added to the feelings of competition. No matter how secure and confident one may be, being compared to someone else on a regular basis can be challenging. Kate is adored by the public, which may have caused Meghan to feel like she had to live up to a certain standard.”

She suggested this sense of competition could have translated into jealousy. Louella suggested: “Seeing Harry’s close relationship with Kate could have triggered feelings of envy and insecurity for Meghan, making her feel like she had to compete for his attention and affection.”

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Louella added: “Constant competition and comparison with someone, especially when they are close family, can create a toxic dynamic and make it difficult for two people to have a genuine connection. It’s possible that Meghan’s jealousy towards Kate could have contributed to any deeper issues between the two sisters-in-law.

“In the end, it’s important to remember that both women are human and may have their own insecurities and vulnerabilities, which could have affected their relationship. There are likely many nuances and complexities to Kate and Meghan’s relationship that we may never fully understand, but it wouldn’t be surprising if jealousy played a role in their dynamic.”

Her comments come after Ingrid Seward told The Telegraph: “I think that Meghan must have been incredibly envious and then jealous of Kate. I heard Meghan actually thought she was going to be a princess and live in Windsor Castle. Instead, there’s William and Kate with this beautiful house, while they are stuck in Nottingham Cottage.”