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Tatler cuts 'snobbish' claims about Duchess of Cambridge's family after row

Duchess of Cambridge - Ian Vogler
Duchess of Cambridge - Ian Vogler

Tatler has removed swathes of passages from a hotly disputed profile it published on the Duchess of Cambridge amid reports Kensington Palace took exception to "snobby" remarks aimed at the Middleton family.

The magazine, known as the bible of high society, was allegedly accused of publishing "lies" in an article which claimed the Duchess felt "exhausted and trapped" following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from royal duties.

The piece entitled "Catherine the Great" was published in May and featured in the magazine's July/August edition. A version of the profile was also published online.

The profile reported how Carole Middleton, Kate's mother, is a "terrible snob", her sister Pippa is "too regal and try-hard" and described how the 38-year-old was "perilously thin" like Princess Diana. The claims have now been removed from the online version of the article.

Tatler claimed to have spoken to numerous unnamed friends of the Cambridges at the time of publication. But its content is said to have caused huge upset with criticism of the Middleton family said to be of greatest concern.

A Royal source told the newspaper: "The piece is full of lies. There is no truth to their claim that the Duchess feels overwhelmed with work, nor that the Duke is obsessed with Carole Middleton. It's preposterous.

"The whole thing is class snobbery. Tatler may think it's immune from action as it's read by the Royals and on every coffee table in every smart home. But it makes no difference. It's ironic that the Royals' favourite magazine is now being trashed by them."

After the print version was published, Kensington Palace claimed the profile contained "a swathe of inaccuracies and false misrepresentations" which were not put before them before publication.

But Tatler issued its own statement defending the piece. In a statement, the magazine said: "Tatler's Editor-in-Chief Richard Dennen stands behind the reporting of Anna Pasternak and her sources.

“Kensington Palace knew we were running the 'Catherine the Great' cover months ago and we asked them to work together on it. The fact they are denying they ever knew is categorically false.”

However, it appears the dispute may have been resolved after it emerged several passages were deleted from the online version of the profile published on the magazine's website.

The Mail on Sunday reported the online piece was amended this week to state it was an "edited version" in what the newspaper described as a "victory" for the Duchess of Cambridge.

Erased passages, which were printed in full in the print edition of the magazine, include a claim the Duchess of Cambridge once had a poster of Prince William on her wall and her husband was "absolutely incandescent" about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepping back from royal duties.

Text describing Carole Middleton as having "Hyacinth Bucket aspirations of grandeur" and allegations by an ex-girlfriend of James Middleton that she was a "terrible snob" were removed.

While a paragraph that alleged Pippa Middleton was "struggling to find her place" and was "always in the shadow as someone's sister or someone's wife" was also deleted.

The Mail on Sunday quoted a source said to be close to Tatler's publisher, Condé Nast, who said: "Tatler has a long-standing relationship with the Royal Family and wanted to end this amicably."

The Telegraph contacted Kensington Palace for comment.