Meghan and Kate’s feud started with power struggle over fashion designer: Report

In 2017, London designer Erdem Moralioglu sparked a rift between the couple when actor and fashion blogger Meghan, then recently engaged to Prince Harry, suddenly found himself persona non grata at one of his favorite brands. The reason? Kate had an arrangement to receive VIP access to Moralioglu’s outfits, also popular with actresses Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Claire Foy, reports the New York Post.

According to Telegraphwhich detailed one of Meghan’s first experiences becoming entangled in palace bureaucracy – an incident, according to the newspaper, not included in Harry’s new seismic memoir Spare.

Moralioglu’s Erdem label was established in 2005 and quickly became a household name for its romantic floral prints and elegant, understated sequin dresses.

Kate has been a longtime fan, wearing the designer’s look at several royal engagements, including an off-the-shoulder midi dress with frayed edges and a fluted skirt in 2018, and as an anchor designer during the pregnancy of Prince George and Princess Charlotte, accentuating her baby bump in figure-hugging floral dresses.

Meghan too was a fan of the designer – long before she met Harry – sporting his designs while working on the legal drama filmed in Canada Combinations. She stepped out in the Davina dress from the brand’s 2015 collection during a US appearance Today show in 2016, wearing the dress again for a Christmas lunch with the late Queen in 2018, according to the Telegraph.

“Erdem Moralioglu was one of Meghan’s absolute favorites, but even after Harry put a ring on it, Kate, who was already a client, continued to take priority,” the newspaper reported.

The report dovetails with Prince Harry detailing the thorny relationship between Meghan and Kate in his new memoir, with fashion proving to be an ongoing pain point for the couple.

It recounts the infamous icy feud between the duo over Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaids’ dress not fitting properly. The text exchange reportedly left Meghan “sobbing on the floor”.

Meghan opened up about her struggle over what to wear as part of the Royal Family, as well as the stress lower-ranking female members have been under for not matching their seniors.

“Most of the time I was in the UK, I rarely wore color,” she revealed in the Netflix docuseries, Harry and Meghan.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and has been reproduced with permission