Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · October 4, 2025 · Entertainment

Unveiling the Mystery: Who Really Handled Meghan’s Bouquet?

When Meghan walked up towards St George's Chapel in Windsor as she married Prince Harry in May 2018, eagle-eyed viewers noted that she was missing her bouquet

The Royal Rumble: Unveiling the Explosive Feud Between Kate and Meghan

It's been a wild ride for the British royal family, and at the center of it all is the drama-filled relationship between Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex. When Prince Harry announced his engagement to Meghan in 2017, the world was abuzz with excitement, but behind the scenes, tensions were already brewing between the two sister-in-laws.

The media had initially speculated about a blossoming friendship between Kate and Meghan, but it wasn't long before rumors emerged of a fiery feud that would ultimately lead to the demise of the so-called "Fab Four." The once-friendly dynamic between the two women began to fray over seemingly trivial issues, including borrowing lip gloss and bridesmaid dresses.

In almost miraculous speed, Meghan was suddenly captured holding a bridal bouquet, including Forget-Me-Nots, Princess Diana's favourite blooms, as she walked down the aisle

The Great Bridesmaid Dress Debate

In his explosive 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry revealed the depths of the tension between Kate and Meghan. According to Harry, the disagreements began in earnest when Meghan asked Kate to lend her some of the royal family's most trusted advisors to help with wedding preparations. However, things took a turn for the worse when Kate became upset over Meghan's handling of Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid dress fitting.

The incident, which had been widely reported at the time, saw both women in tears as they argued over the length and fit of Charlotte's hemline. In his memoir, Harry reveals that Meghan had initially offered to take Charlotte to a tailor at the palace for adjustments, but Kate insisted on keeping control over the design process.

Unearthed online footage caught glimpse of a mystery woman handing Meghan the bouquet as she entered the chapel. Even more perplexing for many was that the woman in question appeared, based on the dress and headpiece, to have been Kate

A Bittersweet Wedding Day

Fast forward to May 2018, when Prince Harry and Meghan tied the knot in a fairytale ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor. The nation held its breath as Meghan walked down the aisle, her stunning Givenchy gown catching the eye of fashionistas around the world. However, eagle-eyed viewers noticed that Meghan was missing one crucial element: her bouquet.

In a dramatic flourish, Meghan appeared to be holding her bouquet as she walked towards the altar, but it quickly became apparent that something was amiss. The mystery surrounding the bouquet's origin remained unsolved until months later, when an Instagram post from Prince Harry and Meghan finally revealed the truth.

The woman in question was seen wearing a light coloured ensemble that bore an incredible resemblance to the off-white Alexander McQueen outfit donned by Kate on the royal wedding day

The Bouquet Bandit

In a candid shot from their wedding day, Clara Madden, a trusted adviser to Prince Harry, is seen handing Meghan her bouquet as she enters the chapel. It was a heartwarming moment that seemed to suggest a sense of camaraderie between the two women. However, insiders later revealed that Kate had not been involved in the bouquet handover after all.

A Tale of Two Wives

But footage of Meghan's procession showed that Kate was already sat at her front-row seat, alongside the now Queen Camilla, before Meghan had even reached the altar. This meant that it would have been near impossible for her to hand Meghan the bouquet

As the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan continued to make headlines, tensions between the couple and their in-laws only intensified. In his memoir, Harry reveals a series of explosive conflicts with his brother William and sister-in-law Kate, which he claims left him feeling isolated and alone.

One particularly contentious issue was Meghan's veer into politics, which saw her promoting the #TimesUp campaign at a high-profile event in 2018. According to body language expert Judi James, Meghan's enthusiasm for social justice caused friction between the two women, who had vastly different approaches to their royal duties.

A Royal Rift

Using both of her hands to hold up her £100,000 dress, Meghan was followed by a cathedral-length, five-metre-long veil, trimmed with lace which depicted flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries

The marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan was always going to be a challenging one, given the complex web of relationships within the British royal family. However, it seemed that Kate and Meghan were already at odds from the very beginning.

In his memoir, Harry reveals that Meghan had asked to borrow lip gloss from Kate ahead of their joint appearance at a Royal Foundation forum summit in 2018. According to Harry, Kate was taken aback by the request, but ultimately offered Meghan the lip gloss after rummaging through her bag.

The incident seemed to encapsulate the underlying tension between the two women, who appeared to be worlds apart in terms of their approach to royal life. As the days went by, it became clear that the rift between Kate and Meghan was only going to deepen.

Then, one year on, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex took to Instagram to post a series of intimate images from their incredible day. One key image finally solved the bouquet mystery: Prince Harry's then assistant Clara Madden was captured handing Meghan the flowers

A Year of Controversy

In the months following their wedding day, Prince Harry and Meghan found themselves at the center of a media storm, with rumors about the couple's relationships with the rest of the royal family dominating headlines. However, it wasn't until a year later that the full extent of the tension between Kate and Meghan was laid bare in the pages of Prince Harry's memoir.

Meghan's Version of Events

Ms Madden, pictured at Harry and Meghan's wedding, was no stranger to the royal family, having previously worked as a trusted adviser for Kate and William. In 2015, she moved over to work for Prince Harry

In a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan Markle revealed her side of the story, claiming that she had never intentionally offended Kate during their infamous bridesmaid dress fitting. However, Meghan also admitted that she had initially forgotten about Kate's concerns over Charlotte's hemline and only realized her mistake when Kate apologized for bringing it up.

The Royal Rift: A Timeline

  • 2017: Prince Harry announces his engagement to Meghan Markle, sparking rumors of a blossoming friendship between Kate and Meghan.
  • February 2018: Meghan appears at the Royal Foundation forum summit with Prince William and Kate Middleton, where she promotes her #TimesUp campaign.
  • May 2018: Prince Harry and Meghan tie the knot in a fairytale ceremony at St George's Chapel in Windsor.
  • June 2018: Prince Harry reveals the full extent of the tension between him and his brother William in his memoir Spare.
  • 2020: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex step back from their royal duties, leaving many to wonder what the future holds for the couple.

While the slideshow video revealed touching moments shared between members of Harry and Meghan's family, there was one clear absence. Kate was the only member of the Cambridge family who attended the wedding but was not seen in Harry and Meghan's post

As the controversy surrounding Kate and Meghan continues to make headlines, one thing is clear: the British royal family will never be the same again.

Clara Madden, pictured, accompanied the Sussexes on their royal tour of New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific in October of that year. Then, in early 2020, Ms Madden was awarded a key position at Prince Harry's Invictus Games Foundation

Kate's absence from the reflective post fuelled ongoing controversy that tensions remained high between both her and Meghan following an infamous bridesmaid dress fitting ahead of the wedding that had ended in tears

In his book Revenge, Tom Bower claimed unnamed sources told him Kate and Meghan disagreed over the length of Charlotte's hemline and the fit of her dress prior to the wedding

Early reports in 2018 had suggested that Meghan had made Kate cry during the heated row, which Meghan later denied. Though the bridesmaids dress incident continues to be disputed, it remains one of the most talked-about moments leading up to the Sussexes' wedding

In a shock revelation laid bare within Prince Harry's explosive memoir Spare, a chat over tea and biscuits at Kensington Palace in June 2018 was said to have descended into conflict after the Duchess of Sussex told Kate that she must have 'baby brain because of her hormones'

Prior to the wedding, rumours were rife of a fiery feud between the two sisters-in-law that saw the quick demise of the short-lived Fab Four

Meghan gave a different version of events in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, claiming that it was the other way around. She said: 'She (Kate) was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologised. And she brought me flowers'

In Spare, Harry states that Meghan had suggested there had been crossed wires between her and Kate when Kate thought Meghan wanted to use her connections in the fashion industry, when in fact she already had her own

A source said: 'Harry doesn't hold back on William. He writes that William told him:

Harry also revealed that Meghan had asked to borrow lipgloss from Kate ahead of their appearance at the first Royal Foundation forum summit in February 2018, pictured. He then claimed that Meghan had applied a little gloss before Kate made a 'disgusted' face