(L-R) Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Britain’s Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a reception to mark the 50th Anniversary of the investiture of The Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in London on March 5, 2019. – The Queen hosted a reception to mark the Fiftieth Anniversary of the investiture of Britain’s Prince Charles, her son, as the Prince of Wales. Prince Charles was created The Prince of Wales aged 9 on July 26th 1958 and was formally invested with the title by Her Majesty The Queen on July 1st 1969 at Caernarfon Castle. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

 

Those hoping to see a closer bond between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton sadly did not get their wish when the Duchesses attended their first event together in months.

After months of rumours and speculation about tensions between the wives of Prince Harry and Prince William, many had hoped that at the 50th anniversary celebration of Prince Charles’ position as the Prince of Wales (those royals will attend the opening of an envelope, I tell you) we’d see some warmth and affection between the two.

But it ‘twas not to be.

In pictures from the celebration at Buckingham Palace, Meghan hangs back from the group which included Prince Charles, Camilla and Queen Elizabeth. It’s hard not to notice that Meghan is on one side of the room, while Kate is on the other.

Oh, how long ago the heady, new-romance days of Wimbledon seem now.

LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 5: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a reception to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace on March 5, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Both Duchesses did the rounds chatting to various guests at the soiree, but photographers did not capture the pair interacting at all. Obviously, there’s a chance Meghan and Kate wanted to talk but just didn’t get the chance. But they must have known that after all the speculation of their strained relationship, it would have been the perfect opportunity to put the whole draining drama to bed.

It’s the first time they’ve been seen together in public since the royal family’s Christmas outing, where body language experts said they “tried too hard” to look chummy.

In fairness to Meghan and Kate, they can’t win. When they try to put on a show of affection they’re accused of forcing it, when they don’t try, we get disappointed. Give a Duchess a break.