Insiders reveal what Meghan Markle really thought of Kate - as she also made jokes about Prince Harry and William having different parents

Meghan Markle made 'jokes about Harry having different parents to William' during her time in the royal household, insiders have claimed. In a bombshell new book, due to be published on February, royal expert Tom Quinn includes claims of what the Duchess of Sussex, 43, really thought of Kate and other senior royals - according to accounts from former royal servants. Meghan's time in the royal family was controversial as she broke traditions through her love of hugs, was branded 'Duchess Difficult' for her treatment of staff, and eventually stepped down as a senior royal with her husband Prince Harry in 2020.

And, according to members of staff at Kensington Palace, Meghan would also 'make jokes' about William and Harry having different parents - as her husband was so 'spontaneous and chill' compared to his 'serious' older brother. She was also said to have thought senior royals 'behaved like babies' and held the view that her sister-in-law Kate was a 'goody two shoes'. In an extract from Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants seen by FEMAIL, a staffer recalled Meghan asking, ‘Why do William and Charles sound so serious all the time?’.

They added: ‘She used to make jokes about Harry not having the same parents as William, as, she insisted, “Harry isn’t pompous at all. He’s chill.”’. Meanwhile, a member of the Palace's communications team added, ‘Meghan thought Kate was just too eager to please, too much a goody-two-shoes girl.’. Meghan Markle made 'jokes about Harry having different parents to William' during her time in the royal household, according to a new book. Pictured together in 2018.

Insiders added that, in turn, Kate's view of Meghan was 'implied rather than spoken'. They shared that the two women took very different attitudes to being in the royal family - as Kate accepted being told what to do came with the territory. Meanwhile Meghan wanted to make her own mark, and be more independent. A former Kensington Palace staffer shared: 'In many ways it was just the same as the kind of backbiting gossipy criticism that Meghan had to put up with, but Kate is actually a much stronger person than Meghan in many ways.

'Some people thought it wasn’t strength but a sort of passivity – that was one of the bugbears between Meghan and Kate. Meghan wanted Kate to be feistier and make her own mark. 'But what Meghan saw as Kate being pushed around, Kate saw as an essential part of being a member of the royal family.'. One member of Meghan’s team recalled that the Duchess was 'absolutely charming – very informal, courteous and warm' and would always go in for a hug.

They added that that she thought senior royals 'behaved like babies' as if one got a 'gold pen or new car', they would all want one. She was also said to have thought senior royals 'behaved like babies' and held the view that her sister-in-law Kate (pictured in 2018) was a 'goody two shoes'. Meghan is pictured with Charles, William, Kate and Harry on Christmas Day in 2018. The insider said: 'She really disliked the hierarchy, the rules, many of which do seem pretty pointless and exist really only so that the relative status of each senior royal is protected.'.

Elsewhere in his book, Quinn refers to Meghan's 'messiah complex', which he claims led her to clash with Palace staff - but Prince Harry would always rush to her defence. A former member of Harry and Meghan's staff told Quinn: 'I don’t mean that in a critical way because all her big ideas were about doing good. 'She once said, "What Diana started I want to finish," and we took that to mean she wanted to become a sort of globetrotting champion of the poor and the marginalised,' the ex-staffer continued, referring to Meghan's late mother-in-law, the Princess of Wales.

Palace staff also highlighted Harry's 'tendency to defend anything and everything Meghan does' when his wife clashed with royal aides. Before Harry met the former Suits actress, courtiers noted, he had been 'reasonably happy' and 'pretty easy-going', and enjoyed a close relationship with his older brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate. At the same time, there were concerns about what Harry was going to do after completing his military service, with one courtier claiming the younger son of King Charles 'was always a problem'.

Senior advisers knew that Harry was never going to be happy navigating the royal round partly because he was easily frustrated with 'all the handshaking and small talk' but also due to his resentment at being the Spare. Prince Harry was 'waiting for a woman to mould him' before he met Meghan Markle and cherished the 'possibility of freedom' she brought to his life, a new book has claimed. Palace staff also highlighted Harry's 'tendency to defend anything and everything Meghan does' when his wife's 'messiah complex' led her to clash with aides.