Meghan & Mary's Secret Feud

Why the royals will never be friends

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On paper, Meghan Markle and Crown Princess Mary seem like kindred spirits. They’re both ordinary citizens who fell in love with a prince and moved abroad to marry into royalty. But according to royal expert Phil Dampier, that’s exactly where the similarities end.

The author of Royally Suited: Harry and Meghan In Their Own Words believes that Meghan, 39, and Mary, 48, hold fundamentally differing views about what’s expected of them as royals.

To understand this, you need only look at the path Mary took in the lead-up to marrying Crown Prince Frederik. In 2001, Mary relocated to Denmark to complete the equivalent of a “princess boot camp”. Her rigorous training included mastering Danish as well as elocution and poise, in preparation for her role as a modern princess and queen-in-waiting.

On the other hand, it seems Meghan has always been a reluctant British royal. A whirlwind romance meant there was little time for the former Suits star to familiarise herself with the expectations of being a working royal before marrying Prince Harry.

Meghan’s subsequent failure to find her feet among the royal family also appeared to contribute to the ‘Megxit’ decision for the couple to step down as senior royals and head to her homeland.

“I’m sure Mary looks at what Meghan has done and is horrified by it,” Phil says.