Harry & Meghan's Icy Response To Kate's Diagnosis Confirms What We Suspected

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship with Prince William and Kate Middleton has been fraught since Megxit happened in January 2020, and seemingly remained so amid the Princess of Wales' health crisis. That much became evident through their icy response to the revelation of Kate's cancer diagnosis, made via a prerecorded video released on March 22. Kate explained she had withdrawn from the public in an effort to explain the situation to her children before coming forward, and asked for privacy during her chemotherapy.

Though they never addressed any of the rumors surrounding Kate's surgery back in January, Meghan and Harry still caught flak for what many considered a rather insensitive move on the duchess' part. While Kate and Kensington Palace scrambled to control the PR storm caused by her Photoshopped Mother's Day photo — which meant to squash the conspiracy theories regarding Kate's whereabouts and health status but accomplished the exact opposite — Meghan launched her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

With that, Meghan marked her return to Instagram after a four-year hiatus. Many were quick to point out her timing. "The Sussexes in my opinion do nothing by accident ... For years they've been unpredictable but they have been predictable in one sense, and that is the unerring timing when they believe it's beneficial to get information out," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam told The Daily Mail. Now, with their statement about Kate's health condition, they continue to show that the distance between the two royal sides has only widened. 

A few hours after Kate Middleton's shocking news came out, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released their version of a get-well message to their sister-in-law. "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace," their statement reads (via Page Six). For many, the curt message was nothing but an attempt by the Sussexes to draw attention to themselves. "The two people who have caused so much pain to William and Catherine has decided they needs [sic] to be heard," a royal watcher wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Journalist Lee Cohen agreed, suggesting the U.S.-based royals lacked "grace." He told The Express, "This is surely not a moment for anyone to seek notoriety." Many others believed the right thing to do here was to reach out to Kate directly instead of sharing a cold statement. "They could have delivered it privately," an X user noted.

Still, others jumped to Meghan and Harry's defense, pointing out that they probably would have been criticized had they not said anything. "Harry and Meghan will be damned if they say something and damned if they don't," one user tweeted. Yet others applauded them for sending their well wishes given that the royal family had remained mum about Meghan's revelation that she had suffered a miscarriage in July 2020. Regardless, their decision to share a short, cold message just goes to show that the two couples may have drifted apart to a point of no return.