When the Duchess of Cambridge wed Prince William in 2011 and officially joined the royal family, it finally marked the end of a long struggle with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Indeed, palace insiders say that when Kate was still just William’s ‘university girlfriend’, Beatrice, 33, and Eugenie, 31, were “frightfully snobbish” about her middle-class background – and rather jealous of all the attention a ‘commoner’ was getting.
WATCH: Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attend the Queen’s garden party
Thanks to plenty of patience from Kate, she eventually got on side with her cousins-in-law. In fact, they became rather friendly.
Now, the duchess is starting to suspect she’s had the wrong end of the stick all along, especially with Eugenie publicly palling around with the Duchess of Sussex, despite Meghan’s many attacks on the Cambridges.
Kate, 39, reportedly raised an eyebrow when Eugenie spoke out in support of “dear Meghan’s” 40th birthday initiative earlier this month.
But that was nothing when she later learnt that Eugenie might be helping Prince Harry with his upcoming memoir.
The tell-all, ghostwritten by J. R. Moehringer, will be the first in a rumoured $55 million, four-book deal.
“I could only imagine Eugenie talking or being approached, as she is someone Harry is still in regular contact with,” a source told The Sun newspaper.
Naturally, Kate is “dreading that bloody book,” says the source, “as it will almost certainly take aim at her husband. It’s a real about-face from Eugenie.”
Previously, it was widely thought that Eugenie was furious at Harry and Meghan for overshadowing her wedding day and son August’s birth by sharing their own pregnancy news. At the time, the announcements were seen as major familial betrayals.
“Eugenie’s and – Kate assumes – Beatrice’s new loyalty to Meghan has many people scratching their heads. Some have even wondered aloud if Meghan has something over Eugenie. But either way, Eugenie has lost Kate’s trust for now.”
WATCH: Kate and William share a sweet moment with Prince George (Article continues after video)
Understandably, insiders say the whole situation made for a rather tense showdown when Kate, Bea and Eugenie visited the Queen at Balmoral Castle last week, along with the rest of the extended royal family.
“Kate feels like she has to watch what she says in case it gets twisted and sent back to Meghan,” continues the source. “It’s an uncomfortable feeling she hasn’t had with the York girls for 10 years now, and she hates how it makes her feel.
“It’s a real shame, too, because Kate imagined she would become closer with Eugenie now she’s a mum, and Beatrice has one on the way. It feels like Kate’s caught up in a silly high school clique war!”
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