Reality television matriarch Kris Jenner was among a select group of high-profile figures who publicly followed Meghan Markle when the Duchess of Sussex made her much-discussed return to Instagram. The move was widely interpreted as a show of solidarity and support, signalling that Meghan’s re-entry into the social media sphere had the backing of influential names within entertainment and fashion circles.
However, months after the initial wave of online enthusiasm, observers have begun to speculate that the once-friendly dynamic between the Jenner-Kardashian family and the Sussexes may have cooled.
The apparent strain traces back to what fans and commentators have dubbed “Photogate” — a minor but highly publicised controversy involving party photos. Images of Meghan and Prince Harry attending a birthday celebration hosted by Jenner circulated online after being posted by members of the Kardashian family, including Kim Kardashian. The gathering reportedly included several celebrity guests and was described by insiders as an intimate social event.
According to subsequent reports, Harry and Meghan later requested that the images be removed from social media. The request sparked widespread online debate, with some questioning the reasoning behind the deletion and others defending the couple’s desire for discretion.
Although Jenner initially continued to interact with Meghan’s content — even liking a handful of her posts after the incident — social media watchers have noted a marked shift. In recent weeks, Jenner has ceased engaging with the Duchess’s photos and videos altogether. Notably, she did not appear among those who liked Meghan’s Valentine’s Day post featuring Prince Harry, a detail that did not go unnoticed by royal followers and celebrity commentators.
The shift in online behaviour coincided with Kim Kardashian’s decision to publicly address the controversy for the first time.
Appearing on her sister Khloe Kardashian’s podcast, Khloe in Wonder Land, Kim referred to the incident as “Photogate,” describing it as an overblown misunderstanding.
“It was really innocent, which is so crazy,” Kim explained during the interview. “Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now, and they have a really sweet relationship.”
Kim elaborated that, at the time, the family believed they had full approval to share the images.
“We were told that it was totally cool to post,” she said. “And then after it was posted, I think they realized it was Remembrance Day, and they didn’t want to be seen at a party.”
Remembrance Day, observed annually in November, honours members of the armed forces who died in service. The solemn nature of the occasion may have prompted second thoughts about the optics of celebratory images circulating online.
Kim suggested that once the significance of the date was recognised, the decision was made to remove the photos out of respect.
“So we took them down to respect Remembrance Day,” she said.
Interestingly, Kim noted that the Sussexes had also attended the Baby2Baby charity gala the same evening — a high-profile philanthropic event that did not attract similar criticism. The difference, she implied, may have been the contrast between a formal charity function and more relaxed party images.
Meghan Markle snubbed by Kris Jenner after Kim Kardashian interview
“That was fine, but maybe not partying and dancing on the dance floor or whatever,” Kim remarked.Kim acknowledged that the backlash surprised her, describing the reaction as disproportionate to what she viewed as a simple misunderstanding.
“You got to laugh at the situation sometimes and just lighten it up,” she said. “If everyone’s taking it the wrong way, lean in.”
In fact, Kim revealed she had even joked about turning the moment into a light-hearted campaign idea for her shapewear brand, Skims. She suggested staging a playful recreation of the scenario — posting and then deleting images as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the controversy.
“If we just made it light and made it funny, I think it would have been received differently,” she said, adding that she disliked how the situation escalated. “It was just made into something that was so crazy and ridiculous that just didn’t have to be.”
Despite Kim’s attempts to downplay tensions, observers remain attentive to subtle online cues — particularly Jenner’s apparent withdrawal from publicly engaging with Meghan’s posts. In the digital age, social media interactions often serve as barometers of celebrity relationships, with follows, likes and comments scrutinised for hidden meaning.
Whether the cooling of visible engagement reflects genuine distance or simply a desire to avoid further scrutiny remains unclear. Public friendships among high-profile figures frequently evolve behind closed doors, far removed from online speculation.
For now, the episode serves as another reminder of how even routine social media decisions can become headline-making controversies when royalty and reality television royalty intersect. In an era where image management is paramount, a single post — or its deletion — can ignite conversations far beyond the original intent.
Source- THENEWS
