Kate Middleton has been dubbed the ‘People’s Princess’ by her fans, while Meghan Markle is a ‘powerhouse’.
Kate on the balcony of the Foreign Office in London on Remembrance Day on 14 November. Photo: Max Mumby
Kate on the balcony of the Foreign Office in London on Remembrance Day on 14 November. Photo: Max Mumby
The two most famous women in the British royal family – the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex – have both been in the media spotlight this week. However, their appearances have received mixed reviews.
With the Queen having to cancel her attendance at Remembrance Sunday at the last minute due to a back injury, Kate was put in her place. She stood between the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex on the balcony of the Foreign Office. The Duchess of Cambridge grabbed the spotlight as the royal trio watched the solemn ceremony at the Cenotaph. She wore a dark Alexander McQueen coat with a white collar and a poppy on her chest. Kate also wore a wide-brimmed hat as a tribute to her late mother-in-law Diana at the event.
Many fans later called Prince William’s wife “The People’s Princess” – a title once bestowed on Princess Diana. Royal watcher @Hefeydd tweeted: “On Remembrance Sunday, Kate became the People’s Princess that Meghan could have been. But Meghan chose Hollywood over being a royal and she can’t have both.”
Harry and Meghan on the red carpet at the Veterans Day gala in the US on November 10. Photo: Dia Dipasupil
Harry and Meghan on the red carpet at the Veterans Day gala in the US on November 10. Photo: Dia Dipasupil
Meanwhile, Meghan is also trying to consolidate her position in the land of stars. She wore a plunging Carolina Herrera dress to the “Salute to Freedom Gala” in New York on November 10. Vogue described Meghan’s dress as “glamorous” and “too bold” for royal standards.
Vogue reporter Janelle Okwodu wrote: “Meghan and Prince Harry were dazzling as they walked the red carpet hand in hand. The couple brought a vibrant atmosphere, combining star power and new-age royal style.”
However, in the future, observers speculate that Meghan may abandon both her royal and Hollywood roles to position herself in the political arena. Last week, Meghan appeared at the New York Times DealBook conference to discuss the campaign for paid parental leave. When host Andrew Ross Sorkin asked whether Meghan would “enter politics,” the Duchess of Sussex seemed to deflect. She simply denied that her request was a “political issue”. “The precedent in my husband’s family, the Royal Family, is not to engage in politics. Paid leave, in my view, is purely a humanitarian issue,” the former US actress said.
Meghan’s comments were quickly criticised by her critics. Royal expert Daniel Elser suggested that the Duchess of Sussex had used the interview as “an opportunity to drag the Royal Family into the mix”. Elser wrote on News.com.au: “The point was not that she was talking about the apolitical nature of helping new parents, but that she was trying to be associated with the Royal Family. Especially at a time when the UK is facing perhaps the biggest health crisis the Queen has ever faced.”