Looking at pictures of Kate Middleton in a gorgeous summer dress with her trademark bouncy blow-dry, you know the Duchess is back on top form.
While we’ve watched her partake in Zoom calls with charities, school kids and NHS workers these past months, we finally got to see her back out and about performing royal duties last week.
And it seems her beaming smile may be down to her positive attitude and new take on post-Megxit life. According to Royals At War – a new book by investigative journalists Dylan Howard and Andy Tillett – the 38 year old has decided to put the past behind her and is relishing the extra responsibility of her new exalted status in the royal family.
Royals At War suggests that Kate and Meghan have now settled into a kind of truce. “Kate made visible attempts to get along with Harry and Meghan in the past year, but now things have changed,” the book explains. It goes on to suggest that, as Kate’s standing in the palace has never been so high, it’s thought that she would rather look to the future than worry about mending fences with Meghan.
Kate and Prince William – who are parents to Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, five, and two-year-old Prince Louis – have both been back at (socially distanced) work now that lockdown has been eased. Last week, William visited the Oxford Vaccine Group to learn about their work fighting coronavirus, and for Children’s Hospice Week, Kate spent time at a hospice, planting a garden with families. It’s clear the couple are trying to move on from their supposed rift with Prince Harry and his wife of two years, Meghan.
Check out: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship timeline
Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Relationship Timeline
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle met in London in July 2016.
2 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
They were introduced by mutual friend Markus Anderson, who is the director of Soho House.
3 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In October 2016, the Express became the first newspaper to publish news that Prince Harry had a new girlfriend.
4 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 8th 2016, Kensington Palace released an unprecedented statement which referring to Markle as Harry's girlfriend for the first time.
5 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In the statement, Prince Harry condemned the 'wave of abuse and harrassment' faced by Markle, saying that he was 'worried about Ms. Markle's safety and is deeply disappointed that he has not been able to protect her.'
6 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Marklec
'It is not right that a few months into a relationship with him that Ms. Markle should be subjected to such a storm,' the statement continued.
7 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were papped together for the first time in December 2016, shopping for a Christmas tree in London at the Pines and Needles store.
8 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later that week, they were seen on London's West End, catching a performance of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
9 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In February, Prince Harry wore a his 'n' hers bracelet on the cover of Town & Country magazine, just weeks after Markle was pictured wearing the same one on Instagram.
10 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In March 2017, Meghan joined Prince Harry in the Caribbean for the wedding of his friend's Tom 'Skippy' Inskip and Lara Hughes-Young.
11 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
It was the first time that Markle accompanied Harry to a wedding, marking another milestone occasion for the couple.
12 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The first public event attended by the couple was the polo at Coworth Park in May 2017.
13 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Later in May, Markle attended the party portion of Pippa Middleton's wedding to James Middelton.
14 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was seen driving her to the event after the church ceremony.
15 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple were photographed together the following day at the wheelchair tennis.
16 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple 'broke with royal protocol' by holding hands and appearing affectionate while at the Invictus Games.
17 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Meghan referred to Harry as her boyfriend numerous times, saying: 'We're a couple. We're in love. I'm sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people understand is that this is our time.'
18 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In early November 2017, it was reported that Meghan Markle was leaving Suits after seven series.
19 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Much was made of Markle's choice of outfit: ripped jeans and a white blouse called 'The Husband'.
20 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Although Prince Harry was sat next to First Lady Melania Trump at the event, rather than his girlfriend, she was only seated a few rows behind him.
21 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple made their first official public appearance in September, when Markle attended the opening of Prince Harry's Invictus Games.
22 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
In mid-November 2017, bookies suspending betting on an impending royal engagement, as speculation grew that an announcement was about to be made.
23 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
On November 27th 2017, Prince Charles announced the engagement of his younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after 15 months of dating.
24 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple later appeared at a photocall, with Markle wearing a white dress coat by Canadian brand Line The Label. The website has subsequently crashed.
25 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The engagement ring, by Cleave and Company, was reportedly designed by Prince Harry himself, using two stones that belonged to Princess Diana.
26 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
When asked by waiting photographers if the proposal was romantic, Harry joked 'of course!'
27 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The couple indulged in some PDA at the closing ceremony.
28 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Meghan wore a maroon midi dress with a pleated chiffon skirt by one of her favourite Canadian brands Aritzia.
29 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
She teamed it with a matching burgundy biker jacket by Mackage.
30 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry reportedly spent time with Meghan's mother Doria while at the Games too.
31 of 32Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry was photographed kissing Meghan.
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In late September 2017, it was reported that Meghan had met the Queen, prompting speculation that the relationship was getting serious.
The book also details how Kate has become closer to the Queen, due in part to her stepping up and taking on more responsibilities, but also as she apparently sought advice from the monarch while struggling with the alleged tensions between family members. It even suggests that after a meeting between Queen Elizabeth and Kate, Her Majesty tried to provide extra support to Meghan “to guide her through the trials and tribulations of becoming a member of the world’s most exclusive family”.
Ultimately, the authors of Royals At Warconclude that “despite the friction, Kate and Meghan have now settled into a truce”, and that it’s Kate “who has benefited most from Meghan and Harry’s decision to step away from royal life and build a new life in LA”.
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Jada Pinkett-Smith's four-year 'affair' - with Will's blessing
While they couldn’t have foreseen the health crisis that hit the world just as they moved to LA, Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have been feeling regretful over their move to the US. As heat has told you, their grand exit from the royal family has turned into more of a nightmare. And with Wills and Kate flourishing back home in the UK, we can see why Harry might be feeling a tad homesick.
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