The Cambridges have faced personal challenges over the past year, dealing with the fallout from Megxit and the Sussexes’ bombshell Oprah interview.

But Royal author Penny Junor believes Meghan’s decision to throw Kate under the bus during that interview may have scuppered any hopes of reconciliation.

Kate was publicly singled out by the Duchess of Sussex in the primetime television show as having made Meghan cry in the run-up to her wedding.

It was a disagreement over flower girl dresses and Meghan said the Palace failed to correct reports which said she left Kate in tears.

Kate, who has remained silent about the allegations, has often been hailed for her level-headedness, her calm outlook and her bubbly, kind nature.

She has been suggested as a potential peacemaker who might be able to heal the ongoing rift between William and his brother the Duke of Sussex.

Harry appeared to smile briefly at his sister-in-law as the three talked together after the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, with Kate then stepping back which allowed the brothers to continue walking with one another.

The Sussexes plunged the monarchy into crisis just weeks ago when they accused the royal family of racism and the institution of failing to support Meghan when she was suicidal.

But Junor believes Meghan’s remarks about Kate in the Oprah interview could make it even more difficult for the brothers’ relationship to be fixed.

“I would have thought one of the things William was most cross about was the fact that Meghan threw Kate under the bus,” Ms Junor said.

“It wasn’t Harry, but it was his wife, and he must have known that she was going to do that and he clearly hasn’t corrected it in any way.

“It depends how Kate is feeling. I must say I would be pretty damn cross.”

Former Suits star Meghan said she was not sharing the information to be “disparaging” – and described Kate as a “good person” – but added it was “really important for people to understand the truth”.

Meghan said: “She was upset about something, but she owned it and she apologised and she brought me flowers and a note apologising, and she did what I would do if I knew that I’d hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.”

Ahead of William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, Harry said he was looking forward to having a “big sister” and described Kate as “fantastic”.

William and Harry used to be incredibly close, having supported one another through the sudden loss of their mother Diana, Princess of Wales when they were children.

Their falling out is said to have begun ahead of the Sussexes’ wedding in 2018, with Harry angered at what he perceived to be his brother’s “snobbish” attitude towards his bride.

The Sussexes quit as senior working royals in 2020 for a new life of financial freedom, living in California.