Kate Middleton vs Meghan Markle, two bourgeois in comparison
Peers, both beautiful and not of blue blood. But on closer inspection, the similarities between the almost in-laws stop there
Raise your hand if you listen to the casual (and beautiful) Meghan Markle during the first interview as an official girlfriend of Prince Harry, who did not think for a moment at least of the (almost) sister-in-law Kate Middleton, with the remote control in her hand in front of the TV. Will she have felt a hint of human jealousy to discover that the American actress loves the spotlight and the spotlight loves her? Or maybe she has realized that their royal wedding in May 2018 will likely overshadow the birth of her third child? Or would she simply have felt a bit of nostalgia in not imagining herself as the only woman between William and Harry? Who knows.
What is certain is that the betrothed of the fifth in line of succession to the British throne has all the credentials to steal (at least a little) the scene. The most attentive royal observers have already seen the young Diana in Meghan's exuberance. Harry himself confidently stated that if the two got a chance to get to know each other, they would quickly become best friends. A consideration that never came to mind for the less spontaneous Kate, who was forced to reinforce the hems of her skirts with plumbs.
And on closer inspection, there are more differences than similarities between the two (almost) sisters-in-law. With the exception of both being bourgeois.
1) One Yankee and one pure British
Catherine Elizabeth Middleton was born in January 1982 in Berkshire. Her father, Michael Middleton, is a former head of pre-takeoff aircraft control; her mom, Carole Middleton, is a former British Airways stewardess. Together they have created a millionaire business that revolves around selling party decorations online. Rachel Meghan Markle was born five months before Kate, in August 1981, in sunny Los Angeles. Dad Thomas Markle is director of photography (he worked on the set of General Hospital), of Irish and Dutch descent; mother Doria Radlan is a yoga teacher, of African American origin. The two divorced when Meghan was six.
2) Life before the Palace
They both attended private schools. Harry's betrothed spent several years at Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. An institution only for girls also attended by Tyra Banks. The love for acting, on the other hand, was born accompanying the father on the set. Kate grew up at Marlborough College, the same as Princess Eugenie's. William's wife has a degree in Art History and has always had a weakness for photography. Across the ocean, Meghan finished university in 2003 with a double major in Theater and International Relations (with a one-year internship at the US embassy in Buenos Aires). In her early years in Hollywood, she also worked as a calligrapher to make ends meet. Her success then came as Rachel Zane, the legal assistant (later lawyer) of the Suits series. Prior to marrying William, Kate worked part-time for the Jigsa clothing chain.
3) Relatives of snakes
There are three Middletons: in addition to Kate, there is Pippa, 34, who became famous on the day of the royal wedding in 2011 thanks to a too tight bridesmaid dress. She got married in May 2017 to billionaire financier James Matthews. When they were two in their twenties, lovers of London nights, they called them wisteria sisters. The other brother is James, 30, who has always kept out of the spotlight. The only "flaw"? The famous girlfriend. Since 2013 she has been paired (between ups and downs) with Donna Air, a former model turned TV presenter. Nothing, however, compared to the events of the Markle brothers. Meghan has a half-sister on her father's side: Samantha Grant, 52, who apparently doesn't have a good opinion of the future princess. According to some tabloids, she would call her "an ambitious social climber" and are preparing a revelation book about her. And then there's Thomas Jr., 50, who shares the same father with Meghan, and was arrested for threatening his girlfriend with a gun.
4) Past loves
Harry's girlfriend, as is known, has already been married. With producer Trevor Engleson. The two went to a beach wedding in Jamaica in 2011, five months after Kate and William's wedding. The divorce came two years later. She returned single, according to gossip, she would have dated first the chef Corey Vitielo and then the golfer Rory McIlroy. Kate, by now it is history, met William at the university, among the benches of the prestigious St Andrew. In her senior year of high school, however, she was with the school's most popular student, Harry Blakelock. The story ended when he took the classic gap year. But the first fiancé of the future queen of the English was Rupert Finch, a law student at St Andrew's. The two would be dating for a year, before Will made room in Kate's heart.
5) The Kate effect also applies to Meghan
Any dress and accessory chosen and worn by George and Charlotte's mother will be sold out in a few hours. They call her the "King Midas" of fashion. But, apparently, we can already talk about the "Meghan effect" as well. The white coat, worn immediately after the official engagement announcement, has become a must this winter. And today the jeans (with rips) chosen by the American actress for the first public outing alongside her Harry are nowhere to be found. Kate is always elegant and flawless, Meghan's style so far has been closer to that of a movie star. There are those who bet that from now on her outfits will be more sober. We'll see.
4) The one that shines on the finger
Kate's engagement ring is Diana's. A 12-karat sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds set in 18-karat white gold. It was Carlo who bought the jewel, and then donated it to his future wife in 1981. At the time the value was 28,000 pounds, today it should be worth about 350,000. Immediately after the official engagement in November 2010, a copy was immediately put on sale at a price of 29 euros. On Meghan's ring finger, on the other hand, there is a yellow gold ring. A unique piece designed by Harry himself and made by the Queen's trusted jewelers. The central stone - a diamond - comes from Botswana, a land that has always been much loved by the prince and place of the first couple's holiday "under the stars". The side stones, also diamonds, come from Diana's private collection. The value? Impossible to calculate.
5) Noble becomes
It is a British tradition that the sovereign bestows a title on male members of the royal family when they marry. And consequently to their spouses. Thus on April 29, 2011, William and Kate became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge respectively. Now it's up to Harry and Meghan. The Queen will choose from the vacant titles, which are currently those of the duchies of Clarence, Connaught, Windsor, Albany, Cumberland & Teviotdale and Sussex. It is very unlikely that the choice will fall on Windsor. The last Duke of Windsor was, in fact, Edward VIII, the king who decided to abdicate the throne to marry the divorced American Wallis Simpson. According to the Daily Telegraph, the most likely choice will be that of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. By marrying Harry, Meghan can also boast the title of Royal Highness, so dear to Lady Diana.
6) The eternal girlfriend
Before having the ring on her finger, Miss Kate Middleton had to wait a long time. The lingerie show that left the prince speechless during his university days dates back to 2002. Eight years before the official announcement from the halls of St. James's Palace. So much so that at the time Father Carlo got an unwelcome comment: "Those two have had enough boyfriends." For Harry and Meghan, on the other hand, it took only a year to understand that they were made for each other. The first meeting, they revealed, was in July 2016. To enlighten them, a romantic holiday in a tent in Africa.
7) The mansions
Kate Middleton, William and their children reside in Kensington Palace apartment 1A, which was renovated long before their arrival. The mansion, a wedding gift from Elizabeth II, consists of 22 rooms, which were completely refurbished in 2015 for a total cost of around 4.5 million pounds. The mid-range furnishing expenses were borne by the couple, who wanted to add a second, more intimate kitchen for the family's private lunches and dinners. The living room became famous after the meeting between Barack Obama and little George in a dressing gown. The other royal couple is staying at Nottingham Cottage, also included in the Kensington Palace property. It is a smaller apartment, with only two bedrooms. Kate and Will lived there shortly after their wedding, before moving to the country house in Norfolk. And Diana had made it her refuge after the divorce.
