New Royal Fab Four: Meghan Markle and Harry's exit reveals change in family equations
Recently, Kate Middleton undertook a rare public collaboration with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, which highlighted the contrast between her relationship with her step-mother-in-law and the one she shares with sister-in-law Meghan Markle. Camilla was asked to guest-edit the 125th-anniversary edition of British Magazine Country Life magazine as she turns 75 on July 17. Therefore, the duchess commissioned Prince William's wife Kate to photograph her for the cover portrait. Kate photographed Camilla in the garden of her home Raymill in Wiltshire.
Speaking on GB News, Vanity Fair’s Katie Nicholl said it was "lovely" that Camilla had asked Kate to take the snap, adding, "They are very close. We were sitting there talking about the 'fab four' last time and of course that was Harry and Meghan and William and Kate, now I think we talk about a very different 'fab four' and we're talking about Charles and Camilla and William and Kate." The royal expert referred to the nickname "fab four", which was earlier used for William, Kate, Harry and Meghan. However, since Harry and Meghan quit the royal family to settle in the US, Kate's relationship with Camilla has developed close over the years.
RELATED ARTICLES
Prince William and Kate refuse to attend Lilibet's first birthday despite Meghan and Harry's invite
As a wedding present in 2011, Camilla gave her step-daughter-in-law a touching present of a gold link bracelet with a single gold charm. On one side is the 'C' surmounted by a coronet belonging to Kate, and on the other side is the 'C' surmounted by a coronet belonging to Camilla. The Cambridges and Prince of Wales and Camilla have appeared closer, having made frequent appearances as a foursome in recent months. Even during the recent Jubilee events, the foursome were often spotted sharing a laugh with one another. On the second day of the Jubilee celebrations, the foursome exchanged an affectionate greeting at the service of Thanksgiving for the Queen.
In January, Kate, on the personal invitation of Charles, joined him and Camilla on a visit to The Prince’s Foundation training site for arts and culture at Trinity Buoy Wharf, in London. The relationship between Kate and Meghan has been widely reported on since 2016, with the apparent "royal rift" which exists between William and Harry also reported to exist between their wives.
In 2018, William, Kate, Harry, and Meghan were dubbed the "Fab Four" after they appeared together on stage to announce that Meghan would become a fourth patron of the Royal Foundation. However, the increasing strain between the Cambridges and the Sussexes culminated in the Sussexes' departure from the royal family in 2020. A twelve-month review period was allowed in case the couple changed their minds; however, they did not. On 19 February 2021, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Duke and Duchess would relinquish their royal patronages, as they were not returning as working members of the royal family.
Earlier this year, when Queen Elizabeth II contracted the coronavirus, Prince Charles and Prince William took up all the royal duties.