Meghan Markle’s warm American charm may have set off alarm bells within the royal family—especially with Prince William. Once dubbed the ‘Fab Four,’ William, Kate Middleton, Harry, and Meghan were supposed to be the monarchy’s modern dream team. But behind palace doors, cracks formed quickly, and royal insiders quoted by the Royal Observers, now claim Meghan’s behavior made William uneasy from the start.
Royal expert Tom Quinn alleges that Meghan’s tendency to hug William—a stark contrast to the royal family’s reserved nature—left him deeply uncomfortable. “William is not a touchy-feely person. Meghan’s casual affection clashed with everything he was raised to expect,” Quinn noted. Staff whispers only made things worse, with rumors swirling that her friendliness could even be mistaken for flirting.
Things took a darker turn when Meghan reportedly made a cutting remark comparing the brothers. According to Marca, she once quipped that Harry was “chill” while William was too “pompous”—a comment that only deepened the divide. Meghan allegedly struggled to understand the monarchy’s rigid ways, even questioning why Charles and William always seemed so serious. This, experts say, was a tipping point.
But William’s growing coldness wasn’t just about Meghan’s hugs. Royal historian Robert Lacey, in Battle of Brothers, claimed William felt like Meghan was stealing Harry from him. “He saw her as a force pulling his brother away,” Lacey wrote, adding that William believed Meghan had no real understanding of royal duty.
The palace atmosphere turned toxic. A Kensington Palace courtier quoted in Lacey’s book offered a brutal assessment: “Meghan acted like the victim, but she was the bully. People felt run over by her. They thought she was a narcissist, a sociopath—completely unhinged.”
Now, as William navigates the weight of the monarchy alone—supporting a father and wife both battling cancer—former royal correspondent Jennie Bond paints a bleak picture. “He looks incredibly alone. No brother. No mother. Just responsibility,” she said.
And the divide? It’s deeper than ever. Royal author Omid Scobie claims in Endgame that William had been distancing himself from Harry ever since Meghan entered the picture. “He didn’t like how outspoken she was, how she treated his staff, or how her family drama played out in the media,” Scobie writes.
From awkward hugs to whispered betrayals, it seems the ‘Fab Four’ were doomed long before the world saw them fall apart.
