Prince William 'fuming' at Harry and Meghan after how they referred to his wife

Prince William is said to be irked by Harry and Meghan's alleged insistence on referring to his wife as 'Kate' .

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, was publicly called Kate by the Sussexes "even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages after her cancer diagnosis", a friend revealed to the Daily Beast.

The friend suggested that the supposed reluctance from Harry and Meghan was "an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation".

• Prince Harry reflects on 'biggest mistake of his life' after 'party' controversy

• Meghan Markle fans all point out same 'gesture' made at Prince Harry

The source expressed William's annoyance when Harry and Meghan issued a statement in March 2024, stating: "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace."

The friend noted: "The fact that Harry and Meghan were unable to bring themselves to use her chosen name, even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages after her cancer diagnosis, was noted.

"William takes umbrage at people calling Catherine 'Kate,' because she has requested to be known as Catherine. It's a fairly simple wish to respect. I'm sure Meghan wouldn't appreciate it if William started publicly calling her 'Meghan Markle.'"

"Of course it's an utterly trivial thing, but those of us who know William understand that it is one of the things that pushes his buttons. Pushing his buttons while he was dealing with his wife's cancer seemed an entirely unnecessary and deliberate irritation.

"I wonder if the private card began, 'Dear Kate...'".

A pal was quoted as saying: "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. If Harry and Meghan were serious about healing their issue, a good first step would be to call her Catherine."

It's reported that Catherine has a preference for this name over Kate, which is what her close ones and family tend to use. William also calls her Catherine in private, following a change she made before her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

The name Kate was more commonly used during her university days, where she met William.

In his explosive memoir 'Spare', Harry referred to her as Kate, recalling an instance when King Charles III called her "Catherine" and she "flinched" at the sound of it.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .