Princess Kate appeared to cut across Meghan Markle's past claims about royal 'formality' at Royal Ascot in Berkshire this week, when she was photographed warmly hugging and kissing her sister‑in‑law Alizée Thevenet in full view of cameras and racegoers. The affectionate moment, quickly shared online, has been seized on by some royal fans as fresh ammunition in the ongoing debate over Meghan's portrayal of life inside the monarchy.
The moment came after Meghan used the couple's Netflix series Harry & Meghan to describe her early meetings with the then‑Duchess of Cambridge as stiff and emotionally distant. In the 2022 docuseries, she recalled greeting Kate at Nottingham Cottage in ripped jeans and bare feet, and said she was taken aback that the 'formality on the outside carried through on the inside' of royal life.
