There’s no hiding the fact that global press is obsessed with The Royal Feud that’s pitting Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle against each other. And since the royals can’t go on the public to defend or explain themselves, they’re taking matters into their own hands.

According to reporter Katie Nicholl, the palace has been making deliberate efforts to show the media that the two duchesses are getting along. The Nicholl went on the record via ET saying:

“There have been two major circumstances, which are very calculated and deliberate efforts to try and stem these rumors about a feud between the foursome.”

After all, how else can the palace respond to the rumors without being too obvious?

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“We saw it at the polo match where William and Harry were obviously playing together. We hadn’t expected the duchesses to turn up with their children. The fact that they did is a wonderful treat for royal watchers, but I think those candid pictures were quite deliberately intended to snuff out those rumors of the feud between the foursome. And you saw them all very close, very happy, very comfortable with each other,” the source added.

But the palace isn’t doing this to fake the duchesses’ relationship because according to the source Meghan and Kate are getting along. It was just a necessary move to snuff out rumors that say otherwise.

“We saw Kate and Meghan in the royal box getting along, chatting to each other, looking very much like friends,” Nicholl said. “To have had the tennis [outing] so soon afterward, and obviously the two duchesses being so close together and so comfortable in each other’s company, yes, for the time being, you’re not going to be read stories of a feud. You’re going to be reading stories about how the duchesses get on and I am told that both of them are making an effort to get along.”