Most Shocking Royal Family Feuds in History

The British royal family, despite their regal status, has faced numerous challenges and controversies throughout their history. Queen Elizabeth II, the long-reigning monarch, has had to navigate through various dramatic events during her reign.

In the 1980s, the marriage of her son, then Prince Charles, to Lady Diana Spencer was rocked by revelations that the prince still harbored feelings for his former girlfriend, Camilla Parker-Bowles. This scandal caused a significant stir in England and tarnished the image of the royal family.

More recently, in 2018, when Meghan Markle married Prince Harry, new family feuds emerged. The involvement of Meghan’s estranged family members, Thomas and Samantha Markle, added further complications and public scrutiny to the royal household.

These incidents highlight the fact that even the British royal family, with all its privilege and prestige, is not immune to personal struggles, relationship challenges, and public controversies that can cast a shadow over their fairy-tale image.

The relationship between Meghan Markle and her half-sister, Samantha Markle, has been a subject of public interest since Meghan’s engagement to Prince Harry in 2017. It became evident that the two did not share a close bond, with Samantha expressing a desire for a “heart to heart” conversation with Meghan.

As the royal wedding approached, tensions escalated between Meghan and her father’s side of the family. Thomas Markle was caught staging paparazzi photos, and Samantha announced plans to write a book titled “The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister.” Part 1 of the book was released in February 2021.

Samantha clarified that her book was not intended to attack her sister, but rather to provide a relatable account of their family dynamics, including “the good, the bad and the ugly.” She maintained that her intention was never to write a tabloid-style exposé, despite public speculation.

The situation highlights the complexities that can arise within families, particularly when thrust into the public spotlight, and the differing perspectives and narratives that can emerge.

In the book, Samantha revealed that the last time the sisters had spoken was in December 2015, indicating a strained relationship between them for two years prior, according to the Florida native. She wrote, “It seemed as though she was excited to hear from me,” citing their “completely different schedules” at the time as the reason for frequent missed communication.

Samantha went on to allege that Meghan “changed” after meeting Harry. However, Meghan is not the only one facing sibling drama. Harry and Prince William’s relationship has also been strained in recent years. The brothers’ rift deepened in January 2020 when Harry and Meghan announced plans to step back from their senior royal duties and relocate to the United States.

The ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry has been a subject of much speculation and concern. According to insider reports, William has consistently supported his younger brother over the years, offering guidance and a listening ear during difficult times. However, Harry’s recent actions have seemingly disregarded the advice and mentorship provided by William and his wife, Kate Middleton, leaving them deeply hurt and disappointed.

This familial discord echoes the tumultuous marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, which was marred by Charles’ infamous affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. In a recorded exchange, Diana confronted Camilla about the affair, asserting her awareness of the situation and demanding to be treated with respect.

These revelations shed light on the complex dynamics and tensions that have plagued the British royal family, highlighting the personal struggles and conflicts that often unfold behind the scenes of public perception.

The breakdown of the marriage between Princess Diana and Prince Charles should not come as a surprise, given the well-documented infidelity on Charles’s part. In his 2018 book “Charles at 70: Thoughts, Hopes and Dreams,” royal correspondent Robert Jobson claimed that Charles had doubts about the marriage even before the wedding in 1981, reportedly wanting to call it off.

Additionally, author Tom Bower’s 2018 biography “REBEL Prince: The Power, Passion and Defiance of Prince Charles” alleges that Queen Elizabeth II referred to Camilla Parker Bowles as a “wicked woman” after having a few martinis, expressing her disapproval of Charles’s adultery and unwillingness to forgive Camilla for not allowing the marriage to recover.

In a separate matter, reports surfaced in November 2018 suggesting tensions between sisters-in-law Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle. This speculation intensified after Meghan and Prince Harry’s decision to move from London to Windsor, further away from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s residence at Kensington Palace. One source claimed that Kate felt Meghan had used her to gain a foothold in the royal family.

The relationship between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton has been a subject of much speculation and scrutiny. According to reports, the two women experienced tensions and drama, prompting Queen Elizabeth II to intervene and encourage them to reconcile during the Christmas of 2018. An insider revealed that the Queen had “reached her limit with all the drama” and “desperately wanted Meghan and Kate to make up,” which they did during the holiday season, facilitated by their proximity under the same roof.

However, the truce was short-lived, as another source claimed in September 2019 that Meghan and Kate would “never be best friends” due to their vastly different backgrounds and worlds. The strain in their relationship resurfaced when Prince Harry and Meghan announced their decision to step back from their royal duties in January 2020. At that time, an insider disclosed that Kate and Meghan had not spoken since the royal exit occurred.

The dynamic between the two women has been complex, with periods of reconciliation and estrangement, influenced by various factors, including their contrasting upbringings, the pressures of royal life, and the seismic changes brought about by Harry and Meghan’s departure from their senior roles within the monarchy.

In her highly anticipated CBS tell-all interview in March 2021, Meghan Markle addressed the speculation surrounding her relationship with Kate Middleton for the first time. She cited the argument over Princess Charlotte’s dress for Meghan’s May 2018 wedding as a pivotal moment that strained her relationship with the royal family.

Meghan clarified, “The narrative with Kate, it didn’t happen. A few days before the wedding, she was upset about flower girl dresses, and it made me cry. It really hurt my feelings.” She emphasized that being blamed for something she didn’t do was particularly difficult to overcome, especially when everyone in the institution knew the truth.

Meghan stressed that she wasn’t sharing this detail to disparage Kate but rather to shed light on the actual events. She also noted that it’s unfair to compare her struggles with the British press to Kate’s experiences, as their situations were inherently different.

Overall, Meghan’s interview provided insight into the tensions within the royal family and aimed to set the record straight regarding the widely circulated narratives about her relationship with Kate.

In the interview, Meghan Markle addressed the challenges she faced as a member of the royal family, drawing comparisons to the experiences of other royals. She acknowledged the difficulties Kate Middleton endured with the “Waity Katie” moniker but emphasized that her situation was different and involved racism. Meghan highlighted the lack of support and defense from the palace’s press team, which contrasted with the protection afforded to other members of the royal family.

Additionally, the passage mentions Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, who spoke out about the traumatic experience of William and Harry being forced to walk behind their mother’s funeral cortège in 1997. Spencer revealed that he was misled about the princes’ wishes, calling the act “bizarre and cruel” and one of the most horrifying moments of his life.

These accounts shed light on the varying challenges faced by members of the royal family, with Meghan underscoring the unique struggles she encountered due to racism and the lack of institutional support.

The experience of walking behind Princess Diana’s coffin during her funeral procession was a profoundly difficult and traumatic moment for Prince Harry and Prince William. Their uncle, Earl Spencer, described it as “the worst part of the day by a considerable margin,” highlighting the immense grief they were enduring as they followed their mother’s body, accompanied by thousands of onlookers. Prince Harry himself later reflected on the situation, stating that no child should be asked to go through such an ordeal under any circumstances. The public nature of the event, with millions watching on television, added to the emotional burden and scrutiny faced by the young princes as they mourned the loss of their mother in the public eye.

Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate

The book “Game of Crowns” by Christopher Anderson, published in 2016, made several claims regarding the dynamics within the British royal family. According to the author, Camilla Parker Bowles was allegedly “disgusted” with the attention received by Prince William and Kate Middleton, as she was trying to gain public acceptance after marrying Prince Charles in 2005. Anderson further alleged that Camilla attempted to persuade William to break up with Kate in 2007, four years before their eventual wedding in 2011. While William and Kate did briefly separate, they reconciled within a few months.

In a separate development, Meghan Markle’s father, Thomas Markle, garnered media attention ahead of her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry. He was caught staging paparazzi photos, leading him to miss the nuptials due to the scandal and reported health issues. Subsequently, Thomas Markle criticized the British royal family in interviews, alleging that his daughter appeared unhappy and describing her British in-laws as “cult-like.”

The strained relationship between Meghan Markle and her father, Thomas Markle, has been a subject of public scrutiny. According to reports, the rift between them has deepened over time, with Meghan allegedly cutting off contact with her father due to his continuous media interviews and involvement with paparazzi.

In December 2018, a source revealed that Meghan had “moved on” and “completely cut” ties with her father, citing his refusal to stop giving interviews as the reason for the worsening situation. The source described the situation as “shocking” and indicated that there was no prospect of reconciliation.

The tensions escalated further in October 2019 when Meghan filed a lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday for publishing a private letter she had written to her father during their troubled period. Meghan’s lawyers stated that the letter contained her intimate thoughts and feelings about her father’s health and their relationship at the time, written during a period of great personal anguish.

In March 2021, Meghan confirmed that her parents were given a “very clear directive” to remain silent regarding her relationship with Prince Harry. She also acknowledged that she has been estranged from her father since the paparazzi incident, where he lied to her about his involvement.

The ongoing estrangement between Meghan and her father highlights the complexities and challenges that can arise within family dynamics, particularly when personal matters become public.

In an interview with CBS, Meghan Markle expressed her concern about the potential impact of the royal family’s actions on her child, Archie, and future grandchildren. She stated that she could not fathom intentionally causing harm to her child and found it challenging to reconcile the family’s actions with that sentiment.

Meghan’s estranged half-sister, Samantha, has been vocal in her criticism of the royal family since the announcement of Meghan and Prince Harry’s engagement in November 2017. Samantha has referred to Meghan as “Cruella de Vil” and claimed to be writing two books about her younger sibling.

In July 2018, Samantha acknowledged that she was using the royal family to generate income, stating that everyone needs to survive, and money is a driving force. She expressed that no one in the media would refuse payment for discussing the royals, and as a family, they are not subject to royal protocol in America.

The memoir “The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister Part 1” by Samantha Markle received a muted response from the royal family. While Thomas Markle expressed satisfaction with the book, Meghan Markle refrained from publicly commenting on it until her March 2021 interview with CBS. During the interview, Meghan addressed the concept of “telling all” and betrayal, stating that it would be difficult for someone she doesn’t have a relationship with to truly reveal everything. She clarified that betrayal stems from close relationships. Meghan also mentioned growing up as an only child and her excitement about her second pregnancy, as it would provide a sibling for her son Archie.

Prince William and Prince Harry

After speculation died down that Kate and Meghan did not get along, new reports surfaced that the brothers were actually the ones at odds. In March 2019, longtime royal filmmaker Nick Bullen claimed that William and Harry had a “rift” between them. “All brothers fall out. All families fall out. Their fallout at the moment is becoming public,” Bullen said at the time. “I think people don’t want to think about that with these two boys. These are two boys who lost their mother [Princess Diana] at a really early age, and the fairytale is that they are closer than ever and need each other, and I think that’s probably true. But equally they are two grown men in their 30s, starting their own families, different wives. They are moving to different parts of the country, different duties.”

The speculation surrounding a potential feud between Prince Harry and Prince William gained momentum after Harry arrived separately from William and Kate for the Easter services in April 2019. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not interact with Harry outside St. George’s Chapel, a video later surfaced showing the royal family members engaged in friendly conversation inside the church. It’s worth noting that Meghan, who was nine months pregnant at the time, did not attend the holiday services.

In October 2019, Harry confirmed the rift between him and his brother in the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey. He acknowledged that “inevitably stuff happens” but emphasized their enduring bond, stating, “We’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers. We’re certainly on different paths at the moment, but I’ll always be there for him, and as I know he’ll always be there for me.”

The brothers’ relationship once again made headlines in January 2020 when Harry and Meghan announced their plans to step back from their senior royal duties. According to an insider, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were reportedly “blindsided” by this announcement, further fueling speculation about the strained relationship between the two couples.

The ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry has been a subject of much speculation and discussion. Sources close to the royal family have provided insights into the strained relationship between the brothers. It is reported that William feels deeply hurt by Harry’s actions, which he perceives as reckless and selfish. At the same time, William is focused on his own family and trying to move forward.

The tension between the brothers escalated after Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from their royal duties and relocate to the United States. Initially, there were hopes that the relationship would mend, but the situation worsened after the couple’s high-profile interview with Oprah Winfrey.

In the interview, Harry acknowledged the distance between him and William, stating that they are on different paths, but he still loves his brother deeply. He expressed hope that time would heal the rift, recognizing the shared experiences and challenges they have faced together.

Despite the challenges, the royal family remains tight-lipped about the personal dynamics, leaving much room for speculation and analysis from various sources and insiders.

In June 2022, a source provided exclusive information regarding the strained relationship between Prince William and Prince Harry. According to the source, their relationship has become “irreparable,” and the brothers have not been on good terms for several years. The insider stated that Prince William “doesn’t know who [Harry] is anymore,” and the trust between them has been severely compromised. This deterioration in their relationship is attributed to the numerous negative comments made by Prince Harry about the royal family, which has left them feeling “burned so many times.” The source emphasized that the damage caused by these events is irreversible, and the brothers are unlikely to recover from it.