Prince William “Takes Offense” When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Call His Wife “Kate,” Source Claims

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While Catherine, the Princess of Wales, is well known and often referred to as "Princess Kate," her husband Prince William reportedly does not appreciate his brother, Prince Harry, and his sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, calling her "Kate."

According to a source close to the Prince and Princess of Wales who spoke to The Daily Beast , Prince William "takes offense at people calling Catherine 'Kate,' because she has asked to be known as Catherine."

This includes Prince Harry and Markle, even when the pair "were sending her get-well-soon messages after her cancer diagnosis," the insider added.

"It's a fairly simple wish to respect," the source continued. "I'm sure Meghan wouldn't like it if William started publicly calling her 'Meghan Markle.'"

The source went on to say that while it's an "utterly trivial thing," people close to the Prince of Wales and future King of England "know that it is one of those 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 insider added, while another friend and source said Prince Harry and Meghan Markle referring to Catherine as "Kate" was "bloody rude."

"No one's saying it's responsible for all the trouble, but deliberately calling someone by a name they don't like is just bloody rude," the second friend told the publication.

After Middleton announced she was diagnosed with cancer following abdominal surgery back in January of this year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued a statement of support, the BBC reported at the time.

"We wish health and healing for Kate and the family," they said, "and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace."

Sources claim that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex learned of Kate's cancer diagnosis at the same time "as the rest of the world," further highlighting the rift between the two brothers.

"They had no idea, and only learned of the news around the same time the rest of the world found out," sources claiming to have insider information told the New York Post at the time.

"This goes to show the irreparable damage they have caused," another insider added. "The trust has been broken and the royal family is OK distancing themselves from them."

Another family source told People that while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "aware of everything that goes on back in England" they were intentionally "left out of any details regarding Kate."

"There is clearly no trust," the source added.