Prince William Is Reportedly ‘Very Protective of Kate’ Middleton Following Harry and Meghan Markle Interview

Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s interview with Oprah Winfrey this month, Prince William has reportedly become more protective of his wife, Kate Middleton, following Markle’s comments about the Duchess of Cambridge during the sit-down.

“William is very protective of Kate and can get very angry,” Penny Junor, a respected biographer of both Prince William and Prince Harry, told PEOPLE. “For Meghan to name Kate in a negative light is worse than being attacked himself.” During Harry and Markle’s interview, Markle countered the media’s claims that she had made Middleton cry during preparations for her 2018 wedding to Harry, telling Winfrey that it was actually the other way around.

“The reverse happened,” Markle said. “A few days before the wedding, she was upset about something — yes, the issue was correct, about the flower girl dresses — and it made me cry and it really hurt my feelings.”

“And I don’t say that to be disparaging to anyone, because it was a really hard week of the wedding,” she continued. “And she was upset about something, but she owned it, and she apologized. And she brought me flowers and a note, apologizing. And she did what I would do if I knew that I hurt someone, right, to just take accountability for it.”

Following the interview, royal reporter Katie Nicholl told OK! Magazine that Middleton “felt [the incident] was all sorted, so to have it brought up again was mortifying.” “Kate is so discreet and respects her personal life. You never hear about her falling out with anyone because she is very careful with how she treats others,” Nicholl said. “So for this story to be circulating is very hard.” She added that Middleton “has never wanted any suggestion of a rift with Meghan to come out in the press.”

Markle and Harry made a number of additional claims during the interview including allegations that members of the royal family were worried about how dark the couple’s son Archie’s skin would be. After the sit-down aired, Harry spoke with William and his father, Prince Charles, though Gayle King shared on CBS This Morning that she had been informed that the conversations were “not productive.”

“Well, I’m not trying to break news, but I did actually call them to see how they were feeling, and it’s true, Harry has talked to his brother and he has talked to his father too,” King said. “The word I was given was that those conversations were not productive. But they are glad that they have at least started a conversation.”