Kensington Palace is 'concerned' about the online abuse against Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton

Here's what we know...

Sure, being a royal had its advantages – the fashion, the princes, the tiaras, the castles – but it definitely also has its drawbacks, from the end of privacy to the dreaded rumour mill.

No one knows this more than the two millennial Duchesses, Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

The two women, both 37, have endured an endless stream of online bullying since becoming royals, and from the continuous speculation around a supposed feud to racist abuse, it has gotten extremely out of hand.

This week it emerged that the social media backlash against the two royals is at a record high, with a source telling Hello! magazine that it is getting increasingly serious.

‘The Palace has always monitored comments, but it’s a hugely time consuming thing. They can block certain words, but some of it is quite serious,’ the source explained.

‘Over the course of last year, with hundreds of thousands of comments, there were two or three that were violent threats. You can delete and report and block people and the police have options around particular people. It’s something you have to manage because there’s no other way to control it.’

‘It follows a Kate vs Meghan narrative and some of the worst stuff is between Kate fans and Meghan fans,’ the source continued, inspiring Hello!’s #HelloToKindness campaign. ‘Arguments about who looks more appropriate, for example, that turn into personal attacks on other users. It’s creating a supercharged atmosphere and everyone can join in, but what are the consequences of this?’

This is of course something that Prince Harry addressed at the beginning of his relationship with Meghan Markle, releasing an unprecedented statement to voice his concern for her safety and ask for her privacy.

Online bullying needs to be a thing of the past.