Kate's warm welcome to sister in law contrasts with Meghan's experience

Princess Kate’s initial reaction to Meghan Markle during their first meeting highlighted differences in personality and approach between them.

The Duchess of Sussex recalled in her Netflix series as how she described herself as being dressed casually—barefoot and in ripped jeans—when she met Kate, who she referred to as more "formal."

Meghan also mentioned that she is a “hugger,” meaning she tends to greet people with hugs, which could feel more casual or intimate than what the Royal Family was used to.

An interesting excerpt from James Middleton’s new memoir offers a fresh perspective on Princess Kate, contrasting Meghan Markle’s portrayal of the royal as overly formal. 

James shared a story about how his now-wife, Alizee Thevenet, first met Kate when she unexpectedly encountered the royal family at the Middleton home in Bucklebury.

According to James, Thevenet was caught off guard, appearing in the kitchen with tousled hair, wearing only his shirt, and was surprised to find Kate, William, and their three children there. 

Despite the casual encounter, there was "no awkwardness at all," and by the end of the weekend, Kate had warmly approved of Thevenet, telling James that she was "just great."

This story calls Meghan’s depiction into question, where she claimed in her Netflix series that Kate and other royal family members were taken aback by her casual style and warm approach, such as her tendency to hug. 

James’s account instead suggests a more relaxed and easygoing side to Kate, especially in family settings.

"I'm about to take a cup up to Alizee when she appears at the kitchen door," he recalled.

"She has just got out of bed, her hair still tousled, and she is wearing one of my shirts.

"In situations like this, Alizee is ­wonderfully French. She does not panic or rush upstairs to get dressed.

"Instead, she just greets everyone warmly as if it's not remotely unusual to be meeting her boyfriend's sister and brother-in-law for the first time wearing only an oversized man's shirt.

"'Hello,' she says, proffering her hand and with no awkwardness at all we're soon all chatting and the children are asking all kinds of cheeky questions at 100 miles per hour. Then we are all talking and laughing as if she has been part of the family for years."

He added that the next day when they parted ways, he got a "special squeeze" from his sister, who whispered in his ear: "She's just great."

By contrast, Meghan said there was some awkwardness with Kate straight away when they first met in 2017 and put it down to their very different styles.

Meghan recounted in the couple's Netflix series Harry & Meghan that she was "barefoot" and wearing ripped jeans when she first met Kate.

Discussing the meeting, she said she did not know the "formality" the royals display in public continues behind closed doors and that she is a "hugger" – which she did not realise was "jarring for some Brits".

She said: "Even when Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger I didn't realise that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.

"I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward-facing way of being and then you close the door and think 'OK we can relax now'.

"But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me."