The long-speculated tensions between Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, have once again come under scrutiny, with a royal expert suggesting that the two have struggled to move past their "massive rivalry."

Jack Royston, royal editor at Newsweek, claimed that the two women had an internal competition dating back to their time at Kensington Palace, where they shared an office.

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Royston stated: "There was 100 per cent definitely a massive rivalry between the Sussexes and the Waleses dating back to when they were sharing a private office at Kensington Palace."

He further noted, "This sort of thing, you would absolutely cut and dry say, was a 100 per cent massive rivalry. They would want to be competing and outdoing each other, so there probably is a bit of that."

Royston also highlighted that such dynamics are difficult to overcome, saying, "It’s hard to move past that. I’m sure there is an instinct to want to outdo the other couple, whether it’s the Waleses or the Sussexes."

The claims come amid continued speculation regarding the rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, which reportedly widened following the Sussexes’ decision to step back from royal duties in 2020.

Meanwhile, a royal insider told The Sun that Meghan was seemingly uncomfortable playing "second fiddle" to Prince William and Kate, given their seniority in the palace hierarchy.

Neither Buckingham Palace nor representatives of the Sussexes have commented on the latest claims. However, past reports have suggested that efforts to mend relations between the two royal couples have made little progress.