And the latest bombshell from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has brought things bubbling up to the surface once again.
Last week, Harry and Meghan released a statement explaining how they would no longer use ‘Sussex Royal’ in their branding, after being banned by Buckingham Palace.
They appeared to take a clear dig at the two princesses by referring to a “precedent
for other titled members of the royal family” to earn money privately but keep their HRH titles and royal statuses.
The statement seemed to suggest that a double standard was at play when it added that “for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, a 12-month review period has been put in place”.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, royal expert Camilla Tominey pointed out how these “simmering tensions” between Harry and his cousins may have started at his wedding.
“There have been simmering tensions between the Sussexes and the Yorks ever since Harry and Meghan chose not to invite Sarah, the Duchess of York, to the evening reception of their own Windsor wedding in May 2018,” she said.
Sarah – affectionately known as Fergie – was invited to the ceremony at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, but she suggested in a later interview that her invitation was just the Queen’s doing, and nothing to do with Harry or Meghan.
Praising the Queen on Good Morning Britain, Fergie said: “She leads by such example and to include me is a wonderful gesture.”
Yet she quickly added: “I felt honoured and grateful for Harry and Meghan to invite me…
“It was very kind of them and I think I can’t thank them enough for doing that because it was nerve-wracking but I knew I was ready.”
Ms Tominey explained that Fergie’s absence at the evening reception followed “hurtful rumours” that Harry suspected his aunt of leaking the story of then-blossoming relationship with Meghan in October 2016.
Since her snub from the wedding reception, relations seem to have deteriorated between the Yorks and the Sussexes.
With Harry and Meghan set to return to the UK in order to attend events for Commonwealth Day on March 9, all eyes will be on how they and the rest of the royal family handle the reunion.
It remains to be seen whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will attend Beatrice’s wedding to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in May, despite being invited.
An insider recently confessed there was not much clarity over whether the royal couple would be attending.
They said: “Of course Harry and Meghan will be invited, but it is up to them whether or not they choose to attend.”