Meghan Markle 's confidence made Prince William and Kate Middleton 'up their game' when it came to their public image, according to a new book.
The Duchess of Sussex's engagement to Prince Harry was reportedly forced a rethink over how the Cambridge couple came across, with her sense of ease leaving a deep impression on them.
The then to-be princess's appearance at a forum for the Royal Foundation in February 2018 was said to have caught to their attention, as she instantly impressed with her 'wit and charm'.
The claims come in Katie Nicholls' new book 'The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown', where she explores the lives of Britain's leading royal figures following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Recalling how William and Kate reportedly changed their attitude after seeing Meghan's impact, she writes: "That was a wake-up moment for William and Kate when they realised that Meghan was very impressive, very confident and very capable."
Elsewhere in the book, Katie Nicholls tells how cracks started to appear before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding day in May 2018 - with the relationship between the two brothers and their wives never having recovered since.
Tensions were said to build in the run-up to the wedding at St George's Chapel, Windsor, with reports of arguments over a tiara, what the bridesmaids should wear and Meghan's dad's poor health meaning Charles walked her down the aisle.
Meghan, who was previously married to American actor Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2013, chose a simple boat-neck dress designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy for her fairytale royal wedding.
However, the choice of colour was said to have been questioned by the Queen, who felt Meghan should have stuck to tradition by wearing off-white.
An inside source told Nicholls: "The Queen was surprised that Meghan wore pure white on her wedding day.
"Perhaps it's a generational thing, but she believes if you've been married before, you wear off-white on your wedding day, which is what the Duchess of Cornwall did."
Harry and Meghan stepped down from royal life in early 2020 and moved to the United States with their son Archie, before welcoming daughter Lilibet in 2021.
They were reunited with Kate and William during a walkabout at Windsor Castle during the 10-day mourning period for the Queen earlier this month.
