Meghan Markle has oftentimes complained about the negative criticisms that she has received from the press. However, what some people might have forgotten is that Kate Middleton also experienced the same thing.

Years ago, the Duchess of Cambridge was dubbed as a mannequin with no personality. At one point, Middleton was also criticized for allegedly being a social climber.

And things also became worse for Middleton before they got better. For instance, the paparazzi hounded her outside her home on her 25th birthday. In fact, Prince William was forced to release a statement urging the media to leave his then-girlfriend alone.

During a lecture for the London Review of Books, English writer Hilary Mantel likened Middleton to a mannequin with no personality.

Mantel claimed to have seen the Duchess of Cambridge becoming a jointed doll where certain rags are hung. She was also like a shop-window mannequin because she lacked having a personality of her own. Middleton was simply defined by what she was wearing.

Mantel also said that Middleton might have been selected for her role as a princess because she was irreproachable, thin, and she wasn’t also quirky and odd. Prince William’s wife seems to have been machine-made, unlike Princess Diana.

Meanwhile, royal commentator Elaine Lui accused Middleton of being a social climber. After all, she managed to get into a relationship with Prince William after enrolling at the University of St. Andrews.

Lui said that the Duchess of Cambridge wasn’t really supposed to study at the University of St. Andrews. But after learning that Prince William would go there, she decided to change her plans.

Since Middleton was Prince William’s girlfriend at the university, she managed to hang out with the rich and famous. Middleton also stopped hanging out with her old friends after she and Prince William started dating.

In 2007, The Times published an article about Middleton’s struggles with the press. With the headline “Leave Us Alone,” the article states that the law is on Prince William and Middleton’s side.

The statement was released after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were chased down by the paparazzi onboard their motorbikes and with cameras in their hands.

According to the publication, the scene was oddly familiar because Princess Diana also went through the same thing while she was still alive. In fact, she was chased down by the paparazzi while onboard her private vehicle.

The Princess of Wales died shortly after due to a car crash.