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Once upon a time, royal fans thought that Meghan Markle and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) had bonded because of their unique experiences marrying two of the most prominent members of Britain’s royal family. But the world later learned that the two women never really get along.

Now, a royal author is detailing something the Duchess of Sussex reportedly did early on that put a dagger in any chance of the ladies having a good relationship.

Meghan’s ‘foot-stamping’ incident with one of Kate’s staffers

Before the bridesmaid dress drama ahead of Meghan and Prince Harry’s wedding that we’ve all heard about countless times, there was another incident in which Meghan’s actions really stunned her sister-in-law.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton attend the Royal Foundation Forum
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton attend the Royal Foundation Forum | CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Royal expert Tom Quinn, who authored the book Kensington Palace: An Intimate Memoir from Queen Mary to Meghan Markle, spoke to former and current Kensington Palace staffers about the princess and duchess’s relationship.

Quinn told the Daily Star: “Meghan and Harry were living in what’s called Nottingham Cottage and it’s probably the only bit that you genuinely really could say, is actually quite small. And so I think that reminded Meghan that she was, as it were, second place or as the runner-up.

“So when Harry and Will got together and sometimes Meghan and Kate as well, because there was this tension occasionally, famously Meghan lost her temper with a member of Kate’s staff in front of Kate. And it was that incident, that I was told by someone who was actually there, who said it was really uncomfortable because Meghan just lost it with this person.”

Meghan Markle was described as a control freak for what she had security team do during Wimbledon Tennis Championships in 2019
Meghan Markle at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships | Karwai Tang/WireImage

Quinn continued: “The reason she lost it with Kate’s member of staff was that she, Meghan, didn’t feel that this person was giving her the sort of attention she deserved. It was almost as if in that one encounter it encapsulated for Meghan the problem that she had, that she’s No. 2.

“[Meghan] was very successful coming into this alien environment where people behave towards you according to where you are in the status of who becomes king or queen next, that’s just alien to her. The way it was described to me was, there were raised voices and foot-stamping.”

The duchess’s actions left the princess ‘upset’ and ‘horrified’

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about Meghan’s alleged confrontations with Palace staffers but Quinn claimed that this particular incident left Kate very “upset.”

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle in the Royal Box on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle in the Royal Box on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Tennis Championships | Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Quinn elaborated further explaining: “Meghan asked this person, I know who it was but I can’t say because it will give away my source, who works for Kate who was basically asked to do something by Meghan and said, ‘I’m really sorry I can’t do that because I work for Kate.’ And Meghan really felt she had been slightly put in her place because if you become a princess you kind of assume that staff. When you ask them to do something they are going to do it.”

The author added: “[Kate] was horrified. She was really upset because she’s very fond of this particular member of staff and she thought that Meghan almost bowling out this person was just completely unacceptable. [Meghan’s] very sensitive about not being treated with the same respect that she feels Kate is, so she can react badly and doesn’t take it lying down.”

Meghan and Harry have always denied the numerous reports that the duchess “bullied” Palace staffers.