The Truth About Meghan And Harry Competing With William And Kate

It's no secret that Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are not on the best terms. They were once known as the "Fab Four," but ever since Harry and Meghan left the monarchy for a quieter life in California, their relationship has been publicly strained. Harry and Meghan's bombshell March interview with Oprah Winfrey — during which Meghan revealed Kate once made her cry and Harry said that William is "trapped" in the family — only seemed to make things worse between the foursome. 

Harry and William put on a united front at Prince Philip's funeral, but their relationship is still at odds. The brothers are "still not talking," according to royal expert Nick Bullen (via Us Weekly). He also noted that Kate was trying to put the feud to rest that day. "It's pretty clear that the Duchess of Cambridge was doing her best to build the bridges," he added.

Even though they are separated by an ocean and live separate lives, a royal expert claims that William and Kate and Harry and Meghan are involved in a "petty transatlantic popularity contest" that is affecting the way they use social media. Keep reading for more details.

Duncan Larcombe, author of "Prince Harry: The Inside Story," told The Sun that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are proof that "modern royalty will only survive if it is absolutely at the cutting edge of social media and their profiles play into ... the cult of celebrity."

Therefore, Larcombe noted, Prince William and Kate Middleton have revamped their digital image to keep up with the times and give fans what they want. "William and Kate are quite clear they need to do more to sell themselves as a couple, family, and personalities," he said. He referred to their anniversary video as a "deliberate charm offensive to sell them[selves] as personalities."

Brand experts noted the couple "refreshed" their digital image with an updated Instagram (with a vacation snap as their profile picture and the more casual "Duke and Duchess of Cambridge" username) and by creating a YouTube channel to portray a "warm and inviting image." Brand expert Nick Ede told the Daily Mail that William and Kate "know" they need to be active online.

Ede believes Harry and Meghan's social media presence is different, calling it "very brand-heavy and personality light." They are more about using ... Netflix, Apple+, and Spotify to get their messages across ... that often feel like adverts rather than from the heart," he said. Still, Meghan and Harry have occasionally shared photos of son Archie, and announced their second pregnancy with a personal photo on their photographer's Instagram.