Meghan Markle is in the news today (August 4) as she celebrates her 40th birthday.
Clearly keen to help her celebrate her big birthday, Prince William and Kate Middleton sent sweet birthday wishes to the Duchess of Sussex earlier today.
And it’s not the first time Kate has extended the hand of friendship to Meghan.
The pair first met in 2017 and, since then, their friendship (or lack of, as some might suggest) has been endlessly discussed.
More recently, the two women have reportedly been in an ongoing feud and tensions have only risen more since Meghan and Prince Harry announced their departure from royal duties earlier this year.
But it hasn’t always been the case that Meghan and Kate have a rocky relationship. In fact, many moments over the years prove the pair got along and may have even been close friends.
Here, to celebrate Meghan Markle’s 40th birthday, we look back at some of the best moments of Meghan and Kate’s relationship.
They met before Meghan and Harry’s engagement
Before Meghan and Harry’s official engagement was announced, Meghan first met Kate in January 2017 when she was introduced to the family by Prince Harry.
Read more: The Queen leads birthday tributes to Meghan Markle
The couple reportedly met Kate, Prince William and their daughter Charlotte to celebrate Kate’s birthday.
Former actress Meghan also reportedly gave Kate a dream journal as a 35th birthday gift and their friendship began on good terms.
Meghan Markle news: In her first official interview, Meghan thanked Kate for her support
Coming from the world of showbiz, Meghan had a lot of catching up to do as a new royal.
Luckily for Meghan, Kate had already experienced a similar transition herself and was on-hand to support Meghan through the process.
She even thanked Kate during her and Harry’s first official interview after they announced their engagement.
“The family has absolutely been solid support,” Meghan shared, adding: “Catherine’s been absolutely amazing.”
“They’ve known for quite some time,” Harry said, adding how they kept it a secret amazed him.
Kate offered Meghan fashion advice
When joining the royal family, Kate was on-hand to offer Meghan any advice she might have needed on her style now that she was a working royal.
Read more: 40 things you never knew about Meghan as she celebrates her 40th birthday
According to one source, Kate advised Meghan on royal fashion, what protocol is expected and how she may have to adapt her style in future.
She also gave Meghan names of some of her go-to designers for everything from dresses to coats to hats, so that Meghan had options when putting together her new royal wardrobe.
They often visited each other when they were neighbours
In the lead up to their wedding in 2018, Meghan and Marry lived in Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
The house was also the residence of Kate and Prince William before they moved into the much larger Apartment 1a on the other side of the palace grounds.
With just a few minutes between the two homes, Meghan reportedly used to “pop in” to visit the then-pregnant duchess with “delicious treats”.
The pair would spend some time together discussing healthy eating tips and discussing maternity style, according to Us Weekly.
Kate and Meghan Markle bonded over their charity work
As working royals, both Kate and Meghan regularly gave their support to various important charity work.
During their early friendship, Meghan looked up to Kate and how she managed to combine her work for important causes alongside family life.
Once source said that Meghan “really admires how Kate has carved out her own space when it comes to humanitarian work alongside being an amazing mother”.
They attended Wimbledon together
Although their first public appearances were usually in a big family group, Kate and Meghan soon began spending time together on their own.
Their first solo outing together was to Wimbledon in 2018 to watch the Ladies Final between Angelique Kerber and Serena Williams
The pair were seen chatting and laughing in the stands together. It must have gone well as they came back again to watch another match the following year!
Meghan Markle news: They spent Christmas together
After Meghan and Harry got engaged in 2017, the couple spent Christmas with Prince William, Kate and their children – and had a lovely time.
Speaking about Meghan’s first Christmas with the family, Prince Harry shared: “It was fantastic. She [Meghan] really enjoyed it and the family loved having her there.”
In the years following, they continued to spend Christmases together, excluding 2020 due to the pandemic.
But despite lockdown, the two couples still exchanged Christmas gifts and video called each other on the big day.
So what do you think of Kate and Meghan’s friendship? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.