Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘disrespect’ for Kate Middleton amid cancer diagnosis ‘pushed the button’ for William

Prince William was upset because Harry and Meghan Markle kept calling his wife "Kate" instead of "Catherine" even in messages wishing her well after her cancer diagnosis, sources close to the Prince and the Princess of Wales have revealed to the Daily Beast.

This deliberate choice of name might have added to William and Kate's decision not to acknowledge Harry and Meghan's sympathy, the publication added.

William and Harry have such a strained relationship that they haven’t communicated since Queen Elizabeth’s funeral nearly two years ago, according to the Daily Beast. When Harry and Meghan reached out to sympathise with Kate after her cancer diagnosis, William and Kate didn’t reply.

The Sussexes are currently in Colombia. They hope to spotlight their humanitarian work instead of their well-known family tensions.

A report in The Sunday Times reveals that William didn't inform Harry about Kate’s cancer diagnosis before she spoke publicly. After Kate shared the news, Harry and Meghan's team reached out privately to William and Kate, but their attempt was reportedly ignored.

Harry and Meghan's team announced publicly that they had reached out to the future king and his wife after Kate's diagnosis became known. However, as per The Sunday Times, William and Kate did not respond to their attempt to communicate.

Now, it is revealed that William reportedly felt upset when Harry and Meghan referred to Catherine as "Kate" in a public statement. The message wished for privacy and peace for her and the family.

William found it disrespectful

A friend has mentioned that William found it disrespectful, as Catherine prefers to be called by her full name, and this preference was ignored.

Though the issue may seem minor, according to the Daily Beast, it particularly bothered William during such a difficult time. It may have contributed to William and Kate's not responding to the Sussexes’ message.

“Those of us who know William know that it is one of the things that pushes his buttons. Pushing his buttons while he was going through his wife’s cancer seemed an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation,” the friend said.

Before marrying William, Kate Middleton started using her full name, Catherine, instead of the nickname Kate, which she had used during her school and university years.