Meghan Markle had positive feedback from the press and the public, but it changed when the news of her allegedly making her sister-in-law Kate Middleton cry made headlines. Since then, Prince Harry and Markle felt that they had to fight with the press for the duchess' reputation, according to a BBC documentary.
Meghan Markle And The Press Had A Great Start
The second episode of The Princes and the Press aired Monday. It covered the period between 2018 and 2021, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding and all the things that happened after it up to the time when they decided to step back from their royal duties.
According to the host of the BBC documentary, Amol Rajan, Markle had a positive relationship with the press until the end of 2018. Initially, the sentiment was above zero suggesting a positive tone. However, the rumors of her allegedly making her sister-in-law Kate Middleton cry in the run-up of her royal wedding changed everything.
"In November, when the stories about duelling duchesses appeared, it dropped below zero, meaning the coverage was mostly negative," Rajan said per Express.
"From this point on, Meghan, Harry and the press would be in a battle over Meghan’s reputation," he added.
The Time's royal correspondent Valentine Low also spoke in the documentary. He recalled writing a positive article about Markle in 2018 focusing on the duchess being a "breath of fresh air" in the firm. He noticed that although there were slight elements of criticisms, the reception was 85% positive.
However, when reports of Markle making Middleton cry made headlines, the narrative about the Duchess of Sussex changed.
"That was one of the turning points," Lowe said.
ALSO READ: Queen Elizabeth Health Scare: Her Majesty's Purple Hands Reappear, Spark Concerns Among Netizens
Meghan Markle Addressed The Rumor During Oprah Winfrey Interview
In March, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down for a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey for a CBS special. During the interview, Markle denied that she made Middleton cry.
"The reverse happened," Markle told Winfrey. "Everyone in the institution knew it wasn’t true."
Markle didn't go into the details saying Middleton already apologized and she forgave her. However, the Duchess of Sussex confirmed that the tiff had something to do with the flower girl dresses.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Queen Elizabeth Heartbreak: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Not Spending The Holidays In U.K. In First Christmas Without Prince Philip
She also made it clear that there was no confrontation. In the same interview, Markle described Middleton as a "good person." The future queen even gave her flowers and a note to apologize for the incident.
Markle added that she was shocked when six months after the wedding the reverse of the incident made headlines. She also wasn't sure why no one from the royal family denied the report that she and Middleton were feuding because they were not.
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!
Pop Culture