Does Queen Elizabeth II Like Kate Middleton More Than Meghan Markle?

Queen Elizabeth II is frequently rumored to be feuding with various members of Britain’s royal family, and that does not exclude Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, who is also known as Kate Middleton, or Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who also goes by Meghan Markle. So, just how are her relationships with her granddaughters-in-law, and which one does she prefer?

The Queen and Kate had a slow start to their relationship. For the first several years of her romance with now-husband Prince William, the Queen steered cleared of meeting Kate, reports PopSugar. They officially met during a family wedding in 2008. One month after their first meeting, Kate was allowed to bear witness to the Queen appointing William into the Order of the Garter.

Kate and William went on to announce their engagement in late 2010. Post-wedding, the Queen continued to show her public support for Kate. In 2011, she accompanied the Duchess to an official viewing of her wedding dress exhibit. The next year, she continued to go on a few royal engagements with Kate by her side, one of which stands out in particular for Kate.

In the documentary “Our Queen at Ninety,” Kate revealed one memorable event with the Queen.

She was very supportive. The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy and looked after for that particular occasion, which probably in everything that she's doing is a very small element, it shows just how caring she is really.

The Queen’s relationship with Meghan started a little differently. Prince Harry introduced now-wife Meghan to his grandmother two months before their November 2017 engagement announcement. Going into their first meeting, Meghan revealed she already had an “incredible respect” for the Monarch, which likely served her well. One month after wedding Prince Harry, Meghan joined the Queen on for her first solo trip. Photos of their outing to open the Mersey Gateway Bridge show the two smiling and happy.

While Meghan may not have had as much time to get to know the Queen before marrying into the royal family, it has been reported the two did bond over their similar sense of humor. Over the summer, Us Weekly said the former actress impressed the Queen with her energy and strength. The Queen is also said to be over the moon “excited” about Meghan and Harry’s first child, due this spring.

“She has a brilliant sense of humor. That’s one of the first things that brought her and Meghan closer,” a source said at the time. “It’s that warm side of her that has made Meghan feel so at ease.”

While reports have hinted the Queen may favor one granddaughter-in-law over another, such speculation has been debunked before. Last December, after Celebrity Dirty Laundry reported the reigning monarch “might favor Meghan over Kate simply because she’s seen evidence of the young Hollywood actresses’ strong work ethic,” a palace insider responded by calling the tabloid report “rubbish.”

While the Queen may not have a favorite, it has been reported recently that she does prefer at least one quality Middleton possesses. According to royal reporter Ashley Pearson in the Amazon documentary “William & Kate: The Journey,” the Queen is “very fond” of Middleton due to her values.

She likes that she's close to her family. Kate has never tried to garner extra attention for herself. There's nothing flashy or showy.

The Queen and Kate's relationship is not perfect, however. For years, the two have been rumored to have had their fair share of feuds.