The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, is reportedly finding it difficult to come to terms with her distant relationship with her niece, Princess Lilibet, as new reports suggest that Meghan Markle has sought alternative figures in Lilibet’s life.

According to a well-placed source cited by Woman’s Day, Kate has been particularly affected by a recent video shared by Meghan, which showed Lilibet playing with tennis star Serena Williams inside the Duchess of Sussex’s Montecito residence.

The video, posted on Meghan’s Instagram Stories, has reportedly served as a painful reminder for Kate of her absence from Lilibet’s life.

“Meghan’s video is another reminder for Kate that she’ll never play a part in Lili’s life,” the source was quoted as saying. “It’s an extraordinary situation—some suspect she is banned from seeing her own niece and darling nephew.”

The rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family has been well-documented in recent years, with tensions escalating following Harry and Meghan’s move to the United States and their public criticism of the monarchy.

While Kate and Meghan once shared hopes of their children growing up together, sources suggest that the reality is now starkly different.

“Before things started to go wrong, Meghan and Kate would talk endlessly about their children growing up together,” the insider revealed. “Seeing her beautiful niece playing with a 'rent-an-aunt' will be tugging away at Kate’s heartstrings and making her tear up.”

There has been no official response from Kensington Palace or representatives of the Sussexes regarding these claims. However, the reports come amid ongoing speculation over strained relations between the royal households, particularly following the couple’s decision to step back from senior royal duties in 2020.