Kate had a long eight-year romance with William prior to their wedding in 2011, meaning she had plenty of time to get to know the rest of his family. However, many have speculated that there is a lukewarm relationship between Kate and William’s cousins. The Duke of Cambridge used to spend plenty of time with Prince Andrew’s daughters in his youth, but since he married Kate, the two younger royals have been pushed out of the spotlight.
According to reporter Catherine Ostler writing in the Daily Mail in May 2016, there is a clear division between the future Queen Consort and Beatrice and Eugenie.
Discussing a particular image from 2016, where Prince Andrew’s daughters are seen walking behind instead of next to the Duchess of Cambridge, she noted there was clearly “a rather chilly relationship”.
She explained: “The three women weren’t walking together, gossiping companionably, as you might imagine, say, Zara Phillips, Beatrice and Eugenie might have done.
“More than that, the Princesses were giving the Duchess what would appear to be some rather chilly looks.”
Gathered for a celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday, Kate was pictured walking alone ahead of the two sisters.
Ms Ostler continued: “Poor Beatrice and Eugenie, despite being dressed up to the nines in a £1,700 Burberry dress and a £300 Alice + Olivia printed skirt respectively, simply couldn’t compete.
“As a result, the atmosphere between the three young royal women looked decidedly cool.
“Some say that this froideur, on what was supposed to be an idyllic occasion, a celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday, is not new.”
The article pointed out that these tensions are “rooted in far more than mere sartorial competitiveness”, with resentment growing over what the York sisters see as Kate’s “preferential treatment” by the rest of the Firm.