A royal expert revealed that the late Prince Philip had a harsh nickname for Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. This nickname compared Meghan to Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee who married King Edward VIII and caused a lot of controversy. Prince Philip’s nickname for Meghan highlighted this comparison.

Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée who became the Duchess of Windsor, was one of the most controversial royal figures in recent history after King Edward VIII decided to abdicate the throne in December 1936 (after less than a year as a monarch) to be able to marry her.

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Back then, royals weren’t allowed to marry someone who was divorced. This rule didn’t change until 2002, just three years before Prince Charles married Camilla, according to the Royal Observer.

After King Edward married Wallis Simpson, they couldn’t come back to the UK without permission from his brother, the new King George VI, because people feared it might cause public unrest, as Vogue reported.

During their exile, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor often made headlines. One of the most shocking incidents happened in 1937 when they visited Nazi Germany and were photographed giving the Nazi salute while meeting Adolf Hitler.
In October 1937, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor visited Germany, against the advice of the British government, and met Adolf Hitler at his Obersalzberg retreat. Credit: Universal History Archive / Universal Images Group / Getty.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward explained in an interview with GB News that Prince Philip saw many similarities between Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson. Because of this, he gave Meghan a discreet nickname.

Seward mentioned that Prince Philip, who was known for his keen judgment of character, couldn’t help but notice the likeness between Meghan and Harry and Edward and Wallis Simpson.
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“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 delved further into Prince Philip’s reservations about Meghan, describing him as “wary” of the former Suits actress and her potential impact on the royal family.

While Prince Philip saw Meghan as potentially disruptive, Queen Elizabeth II held “high hopes” for her, indicating differing perspectives within the royal family regarding Meghan’s role and influence.
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Since stepping back from their royal duties in 2020 and moving to California, Meghan and Harry have kept a low profile within the royal family.

Harry will visit the UK for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, with a service at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8, according to the Daily Express. Meghan will stay in the US, citing safety concerns and wanting to avoid controversy.

While Meghan has returned to the UK for major events like Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022, she skipped others, like King Charles III’s coronation, which Harry attended alone last year.

It’s clear that Meghan is focusing on her safety and peace amid constant scrutiny and public interest in her relationship with the royal family.

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