Kate Middleton Pushed for "Recollections May Vary" Line in Palace's Response to Meghan and Harry's Oprah Interview

She wanted the statement “toughened up,” says a new book.

"Never complain, never explain," might be the royal family's motto when it comes to scandal, but the allegations dropped during Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Oprah interview were just too big for them to sweep under the rug. 

So, a few days later, Buckingham Palace released a 61-word statement in response, which read: “The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan. The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."

Recollections. May. Vary. Those three words, as simple as they may be, made an everlasting impact. And according to a new book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low, Kate Middleton is the one who insisted on using the memorable phrase. 

Per a Palace insider, the Firm had "a much milder version" of the "recollections" sentence, but Kate and Prince William wanted it "toughened up."

"The debate was, do you rise entirely above it and offer the olive branch of [Harry and Meghan being] ‘much-loved members of the family'? Or is there some moment when you have to intervene and offer a view?" the source shared with Low, adding that William and Kate thought the Palace "needed something that said the institution did not accept a lot of what had been said."

Related: Kate Middleton Just Earned a Major Accolade for Her Photography

"It was Kate who clearly made the point, ‘History will judge this statement and unless this phrase or a phrase like it is included, everything that they have said will be taken as true,'" another source shared. “She does not get as much credit as she should, because she is so subtle about it. She is playing the long game. She has always got her eye on, ‘This is my life and my historic path and I am going to be Queen one day.'"

While Kate pushed for the "recollections may vary" line to be used, Prince William's secretary Jean-Christophe Gray was actually the one responsible for writing it. Though, others have attributed it to Sir Clive Alderton, King Charles's private secretary.

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