That the relationship between the members of the British royal family has always been a complicated one isn’t something we are not aware of.
Throughout the years, this family, which is one of the most famous and most influential ones, has gone through a lot.
When Meghan Markle was welcomed into the family, people’s opinions regarding Prince Harry’s choice of partner were divided. Being a divorcee, many believed Meghan wasn’t the right person for the beloved Prince, but the royals embraced her with arms wide open.
Now, years after the two tied the knot, a royal commentator opened up about the nickname late Prince Philip had for Harry’s wife, and trust us, it isn’t anything nice.
The nickname hinted at similarities between Meghan and Wallis Simpson, the contentious spouse of former King Edward VIII, both being American and divorced upon marrying into the royal fold.
Allegedly, Prince Philip had a rather low opinion of Meghan Markle, which remained a secret until a book was published, offering insights into the royal family from an insider’s perspective.
Wallis Simpson was an American divorcee who ascended to the title of Duchess of Windsor. She emerged as one of the most contentious royal figures in modern history when King Edward VIII chose to renounce the throne in December 1936, merely a year into his reign, in order to marry her.
At the time, royals were prohibited from marrying someone who was divorced, a rule that remained in force until 2002, just three years before then-Prince Charles and Camilla tied the knot.
After King Edward and Wallis Simpson’s marriage, they were prohibited from returning to Britain without the consent of his brother, the newly crowned King George VI, due to concerns about potential public unrest, as Vogue outlined.
The couple’s years of exile were marked with plenty of scandals. Among the rest, they were photographed visiting then-Nazi Germany and giving the notorious Nazi salute upon meeting Adolf Hitler.
During an interview with GB News, royal biographer Ingrid Seward shed light on Prince Philip’s perspective, suggesting that he believed the similarities between Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson were many. This led him to come up with a nickname for his grandson’s wife.
“I think that Prince Philip was very canny about people and he didn’t always see bad in people, he often tried to see the good in them,” Seward said.
“He just could not get away from the similarities between Meghan and Harry and Edward and Ms Simpson, which his why he used to call her the Duchess of Windsor. Not to her face though, he used to call her DOW,” she added.
In her book ‘My Mother and I‘, Seward further wrote that the Duke of Edinburgh was “cautious” about the former Suits actress and her potential impact on the royal family.
Queen Elizabeth on the other hand was said to have had high hopes of Meghan.
The Sussexes stepped down from their royal duties and left Britain behind. They settled in sunny California because they wanted to live a life away from the spotlight and the media.
However, once they departed from Harry’s family, the two agreed on plenty of interviews, filmed a documentary, and Harry published a book, Spare, in which he revealed plenty of secrets about the members of the Firm.
Daily Express reported that Harry is scheduled to travel to the UK for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, including a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8. Meghan won’t be accompanying him. She is expected to stay in the US, citing concerns for her safety and a wish to refrain from sparking controversy.