The Differences Between Kate Middleton And Meghan Markle
Though both women fell in love with a prince and married into the British royal family, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle don't have much else in common. We're comparing the duchesses, and it's clear that they are both very different. Take a look at the biggest differences between Kate and Meghan. Keep reading to learn more.
Kate Seemed Like A Perfect Fit For The Family
While there were, of course, some critics of Kate Middleton when it was announced that she was dating Prince William, the couple seemed to be a perfect fit. Kate grew up in a wealthy family in Berkshire, England and followed a proper path of education, attending St. Andrew's School, Downe House School, Marlborough College, and the University of St Andrews, where she met her future husband.
Kate's family has plenty of elite social ties; her father was born into wealth and also has ties to the British aristocracy, making it likely that Kate and William would meet.
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Meghan Is A California Girl
While Kate was born into wealth and set on a path of proper education and finding a suitor, Meghan took an interest in acting and pursued her career. She attended an all-girls Catholic private school in Los Angeles and went on to double major is theater and international studies at Northwestern University.
Meghan's father worked in television, as a director of photography and lighting, while her mother was a social worker and yoga instructor.
Kate's Role As A Mother
The Duchess of Cambridge has quite a bit riding on her public image and royal duties. Not only is she expected to become the Queen consort, but she is the mother of Prince George, who is third in line for the British throne.
Being the mother to the future king is quite a big deal! Kate gave birth to Prince George in 2013, and has since welcomed Princess Charlotte in 2015 and Prince Louis in 2018.
Meghan's Children In Comparison
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a different family situation than Kate and William because it's highly unlikely that their children would take the throne. Their first child, Archie, is a member of the royal family, but isn't given the title of His Royal Highness or Prince.
This gives Meghan and Harry a bit more leeway when it comes to how they plan to raise their children.
The Queen Welcomes Kate With Open Arms
Try as they might, media hasn't been able to get any dirt on Kate Middleton prior to her life as a royal married to Prince William. There may be a few photos of Kate from her college days where she isn't dressed as sophisticated as she does now, but that's to be expected.
It was an easy choice for Queen Elizabeth II to welcome Kate into the family, as she had no qualms about the duchess' past.
The Queen Had To Warm Up To Meghan
On paper, Meghan Markle wasn't the perfect fit to wed Prince Harry and join the royal family. Not only was she an American, but she was also a celebrity due to her acting career, and she had previously been married and divorced.
The Queen certainly took these into account when considering whether to give her approval to Prince Harry. In all fairness, Meghan was 34 years old when she met Harry, and had more life experiences than Kate when she met her prince at the young age of 19.
Kate Is Very Close With Her Siblings
Kate Middleton's two siblings have become recognizable as the duchess is very close with her brother and sister. Kate's younger sister Pippa was her maid of honor at her and Prince William's wedding, and in turn, Kate was Pippa's maid of honor at her wedding.
Kate is also close with her younger brother, James Middleton, who is often spotted at royal family outings and read a bible verse at Kate and William's wedding.
Meghan Doesn't Keep In Touch With Her Siblings
While Meghan is close with her mother Doria, the same can't be said about her relationship with her siblings. Meghan has two half-siblings from her father's side, Samantha Markle and Thomas Markle, Jr.
Her sister has bashed Meghan in interviews, while her brother has had a bit of trouble with the law. Although they spent time together growing up, Meghan has no real relationship with her siblings as an adult, and her mother Doria was the only family member to attend Meghan's wedding.
Kate's Fashion Is Traditional English And Extremely Popular
When things got serious between Kate Middleton and Prince William, Kate's fashion style made a noticeable shift to be more conservative and traditional. After getting engaged, and then married, the Duchess became a fashion icon and "the Kate effect" was set in motion.
Her fashionable hats, coats, and conservative style of dressing is similar to Queen Elizabeth II. The two women also share a love of bold colors and extravagant jewelry pieces. Often times, labels that Kate is seen wearing sell out in a matter of minutes. After Kate was photographed wearing a polka dot maternity dress in 2015, it sold out in all sizes within 30 minutes.
Meghan's Style Is More Modern
Meghan was born in Los Angeles and raised in Hollywood, so her style is much different than Kate's, who grew up across the pond in an upper-middle-class family. The Duchess of Sussex prefers tailored shorts and pants suits as opposed to traditional dresses.
She's also known to don sports jackets and loose-fitting collared shirts paired with heels. Meghan's wardrobe includes lots of moody blues that she accessorizes with stacked rings and small, simple earrings, opposed to the royal jewels and tiaras that Kate is often seen wearing.
Kate Has Led A Life Of Privilege
Even prior to getting married to Prince William, Kate Middleton lived a life of luxury. Her father was born into wealth and started an online party gift company that raked in millions. While Kate was attending school at the prestigious St. Andrews private school, she lived in her parents' apartment that's estimated to be worth between $1.3 and $1.8 million.
While she's put in the work for her education, Kate has never had to worry about money or being taken care of.
Meghan Was Given Lots Of Opportunities, But Not Like Kate
Meghan's father made a good living in Hollywood, which allowed him to send his daughter to a private school. However, Meghan's lifestyle was nothing like Kate's extravagant upbringing.
After Meghan's parents divorced when she was six years old, Meghan was primarily raised by her mother. After college, between acting jobs, Meghan worked odd jobs like teaching calligraphy and bookbinding to make ends meet. She didn't have the luxury of being put-up in a million-dollar apartment like Kate.
Kate Keeps Distance Between Her Fans
In photographs, Kate can be seen keeping a distance between herself and the public when she's greeting people who attend the events. Oftentimes, she's seen holding her purse in front of her, a body language signal that she's not open to handshaking or hugs.
On occasion, she'll reach out and shake hands or accept flowers, but not every time. This is in part because she would be breaking royal protocol to have others touch her or snap a photo with the duchess.
Meghan Embraces Her Fans
Much different than the Duchess of Cambridge, Meghan is quick to offer a hug to children and others that turn out to see the British royal family. Her warm personality is welcoming to fans, and they feel comfortable reaching out to her and asking for a hug or a photo.
When preparing to announce she was dating Prince Harry, Meghan deleted her popular blog and all of her social media accounts, but you can't blame her for still wanting to connect with fans.
Kate Keeps Her Opinions To Herself
One of the protocols for being a member of the British royal family includes staying neutral on political topics and social issues. Royals are not to comment on their opinion on matters, nor are they allowed to support a candidate or a cause that has two sides to it.
Since stepping into the spotlight dating Prince William, Kate as done an exemplary job of staying neutral on all topics and keeping her opinions to herself.
Meghan Has Always Been Outspoken
Since she was a young girl, Meghan has always been outspoken about her opinions and has taken a stance on social issues. In fact, when Meghan was just 11 years old, she was featured on Nick News with Linda Ellerbee for her campaign to have a Proctor and Gamble television commercial removed that she deemed sexist.
She also brought light to social issues including gender inequality on her popular blog The Tig before shutting it down. She can't undo the past, but the duchess has kept quiet since her engagement to Prince Harry.
Kate Loves Playing Sports
In her leisure time, Kate Middleton enjoys being active and playing sports. She always joins in when the royal couple makes appearances at sporting events or with children. She's been spotted playing tennis, volleyball, rowing, and skiing, as her family takes trips to Switzerland.
While in boarding school, Kate ran cross country, was on the rowing team, the swim team, and played tennis and field hockey. She's quite the athlete!
Meghan Enjoys Yoga
When it comes to being active, Meghan prefers to get on a yoga mat, like her mom. Meghan's mother Doria is a yoga instructor in Los Angeles, and Meghan has reportedly done yoga since the age of seven.
While living in Toronto, Meghan was seen carrying her yoga mat often. After marrying Prince Harry, Meghan was spotted going into a hot yoga class at Modo Yoga in NYC. A source told People, "She has been going to Modo yoga for many years and tries to do so whenever she is in New York. It was the perfect remedy for jet lag."
Kate And Prince William Rekindled Their Relationship
Sparks flew when Kate and Prince William first met in college at St. Andrew's in 2001. They started dating in 2002 and formally announced their relationship in 2004 as they attended some family events together. Then in 2007, the couple split. Kate and William explained they both needed some space and time to themselves which makes sense, as both were graduated from college and finding their footing.
By 2008, they were back together. The Queen had always approved of their relationship, and in 2010, Prince William proposed during a trip to Kenya. The couple was married on April 29, 2011.
Meghan And Harry Moved At A Faster Pace
While Kate and Prince William were together for nine years before they were married, Meghan and Prince Harry's relationship moved at a much quicker pace. The couple met in 2016 when they were set up on a blind date. Feeling instant chemistry, they went on their first trip together, to Botswana, just a few weeks after first meeting.
The Clarence House and Kensington Palace announced the couple's engagement on November 27, 2017 and they were married the following year on May 19, 2018.
Meghan Has Been Harassed, Too
While she didn't have any risque photos of her published, the Duchess of Sussex has had her own problems when it comes to privacy and protecting herself from the press. When word spread that Prince Harry and Meghan were dating, people attacked Meghan with vicious comments online.
Prince Harry came to her defense and demanded that people stop harassing her and making offensive comments on the internet. Kensington Palace staff were also quick to delete negative commentary online surrounding the announcement of the couple's pregnancy.
Kate's Incredible Engagement Ring
The engagement ring that Prince William presented Kate Middleton with is unmatched. William proposed with a 12-carat diamond and sapphire made by the royal family's jeweler, Gerrard, which belonged to his late mother, Princess Diana.
In fact, it was Diana's engagement ring as well. She returned it to the royal family when she and Prince Charles divorced in 1996. The Queen allowed Prince William to present Kate with the ring, along with the support of his brother Harry.
Meghan's Engagement Ring Is Simple And Elegant
While Kate Middleton was given Princess Diana's prized diamond and sapphire ring, Prince Harry wouldn't be able to match it when it came to proposing to Meghan. Harry went to Cleave and Company jewelers to have the perfect ring made for his future wife.
He chose a large diamond from Botswana, where the couple took their first trip together, framed with two smaller diamonds, one on each side, that belonged to a tiara worn by his mother, Princess Diana. The ring isn't as grandiose as Kate's, but it better matches Meghan's personal style.
23 Million People Watched Kate And Prince William's Wedding
On April 29, 2011, Kate Middleton and Prince William were married at Westminster Abbey in London as 23 million viewers tuned in to watch on television in Britain alone. The royal wedding was a huge ordeal, as the couple is expected to become the future King and Queen consort.
The British royal family pulled out all the stops for the wedding and officials from around the world attended the important event. Kate's father, Michael Middleton, walked her down the aisle. The wedding officially made Kate "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge."
Meghan And Harry's Wedding Was More About Them
While Kate and Prince William's wedding was hugely important not just for them, but for the future of the United Kingdom, Meghan and Prince Harry's wedding was more about their union and welcoming Meghan into the royal family as a duchess.
Wedding guests included Oprah, Serena Williams, and stars of Hollywood, and since Meghan's father didn't attend the wedding, Meghan chose to walk down the aisle alone. Following Princess Diana, she also excluded the promise to "obey" her husband in her wedding vow.
Kate's Dress
Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen did the honors of dressing Kate Middleton for her special day, and she did an outstanding job at it. The designer focused on femininity and elegance, just the way Kate likes it.
The gown featured intricate lace with satin details that helped make the royal appear even more eye-catching. Some finer details included the symbols of the four nations of the United Kingdom on her tulle petticoat. Kate went for the lace, while Meghan kept it smooth.
Meghan's Wedding Dress
While it's safe to say that both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton looked stunning on their big days, the two amazed in different ways. The artistic director of Givenchy, Clare Waight Keller, had the honor of designing Meghan's dress.
It was a minimalist silk cady design that featured a boat neckline and floating triple organza skirt. It was a classic and simple surprise, nothing like what Kate pulled off on her day. Let's see that now...
The Evening Dresses
After saying "I do," the happy couples change into something more comfortable so they can finish the rest of the festivities. These dresses are their evening gowns, and both of them went in different directions again.
Kate stuck with the same designer who fashioned her wedding gown, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. This was an ivory silk number, belted at the waist with jewels. On top, she wore a gorgeous and warm wool cardigan.
Meghan's Evening Dress
Meghan Markle almost had the same exact style for evening dress as she did with her wedding gown. This time, instead of going with a French house, she opted for a British designer.
Meghan had Stella McCartney to thank for this version of a minimalist, backless gown in ivory silk crepe. Meghan stayed on the "less is more" side of things. While Kate joined that train as well with her evening dress, hers had a few more extras than Meghan's.
Why Kate and William Don't Engage in PDA
As mentioned, Kate is extremely vigilant when it comes to following royal protocol. Part of it is making sure not to display too much affection with her husband! As old fashioned and stuffy as it may seem, it's true that Kate abstains from kissing and even holding hands with her husband, Prince William, as its considered bad form for the royal family.
You'll notice that Prince William will place his hand on her back properly and delicately, and the couple will share lovingly glances, but they won't show affection as most couples in love might.
Meghan Breaks Some Of The Rules
It was easy to see that Meghan and Prince Harry were falling fast for each other when they first met. The couple was often spotted holding hands, looking at each other lovingly, and plenty of other gestures of love and companionship.
Yes, they were bending the rules, but because Prince Harry isn't expected to take the throne, again, their slightly "inappropriate" behavior has been overlooked. Their public affection also makes Meghan and Harry a bit more relateable and down to earth, even they are apart of the British royal family.
The Bouquets!
Meghan Markle paid homage to the great Princess Diana with her bouquet, thanks to the features. Hers had forget-me-nots (Diana's favorite flower), lilies, jasmine, myrtle, and astrantia. Prince Harry even picked some of them himself!
As for Kate Middleton, she also had myrtle and lilies, but with hyacinth and Sweet Williams. They almost looked similar, but with a closer look, you can see they weren't. The tradition is to leave the bouquets at the Grave of the Unknown soldier afterward and that's what they both did.
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