As rumors continue to swirl about the state of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's relationship, some fans are revisiting behind-the-scenes drama from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's May 2018 wedding. One area of interest concerns Middleton not being one of Markle's bridesmaids.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have reportedly been at odds ever since the actor-turned-royal began dating Prince Harry in July 2016 - with their alleged feud heating up in the months leading up to the couple's May 2018 wedding. One example of the two coming to blows? Palace sources claimed the Duchess of Sussex's bridezilla demands caused Middleton to cry during a dress fitting for Princess Charlotte. As an insider relayed to The Daily Telegraph:

"Kate had only just given birth to her third child, Prince Louis, and was feeling quite ­emotional."

Insiders also suggested that Markle didn't feel comfortable around the royal family, and was determined to leave her life in England behind once she realized things weren't working out. This would go some way towards explaining why Prince Harry and Markle seemingly rushed their departure from the country.

So is it possible that the ladies' clashing personalities were to blame for Markle not choosing the Duchess of Cambridge as a bridesmaid in her wedding? There's a lot of gossip out there surrounding Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton's relationship, so some people saw red flags when the Duchess of Cambridge wasn't chosen as a bridesmaid for her sister-in-law's May 2018 nuptials. But as much as a good rivalry would make for some fine entertainment, the truth is this probably has more to do with royal protocol than anything else. As royalty expert Marlene Koenig explained to Town & Country:

"Most royal brides do not have adult bridesmaids... It would be unusual for a royal bride to have a woman in her late 30s as a maid or matron of honor. The Duchess of Cambridge having her sister, Pippa, was unusual."

Bottom line? It seems like this move was decided by tradition rather than spite. But there are other factors involved, too. In case you didn't get the memo, Kate Middleton will be the queen consort of the United Kingdom one day. This future title obviously carries a lot of weight and prestige, and that sentiment isn't lost on Prince William's wife. In fact, this is reportedly why the Duchess of Cambridge stepped aside as Pippa Middleton's maid-of-honor in 2017. Before the wedding, veteran royals author Judy Wade told People magazine:

"It's a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well? But if your sister is a future Queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention. Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible."

It's possible Middleton gave Meghan Markle this same courtesy - but nobody can know for sure. Middleton's prestigious future also supposedly prevents her from doing the work of non-royals. Marlene Koenig told Cosmopolitan:

"She is the future queen consort when William becomes king after his father, and would unlikely be an attending person to another royal bride."

Translation: It's unlikely you'll spot the Duchess of Cambridge throwing a bachelorette party or steaming a veil anytime soon.

And then there's Louis. Everyone has their limits, and that includes Kate Middleton. So it's hardly fair for people to assume the Duchess of Cambridge would appear in Meghan Markle's wedding, considering she gave birth to her third child, Prince Louis, just one month before. Royal expert Emily Nash explained to Hello! Magazine in December 2017:

"Kate was never going to be a bridesmaid – she hasn't known Meghan for very long and will have just given birth when the wedding takes place."

In fact, Middleton likely had a far more difficult job at the wedding. Nash continued:

"Just like at Pippa's wedding, I'd expect her to have her hands full managing Princess Charlotte and Prince George, who are far more likely to play the roles of flower girl and page boy at the nuptials, as well as her newborn son or daughter."

All in all, it sounds like there are plenty of reasonable explanations for bridesmaid-gate. However, it's interesting to note that things seemed frosty between the pair post-wedding. Just one example? When Middleton and Markle reunited in March 2020 for the Commonwealth Day service with their husbands, they barely exchanged hellos. Awkward.

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