Reason behind Prince Philip’s private nickname for Meghan Markle

The late Duke of Edinburgh was ‘wary’ of Meghan

The late Prince Philip reportedly had a brutal nickname he used to call Meghan Markle after she joined The Firm, which he would never use in her presence – but what was it?

The Duke of Edinburgh created the moniker after Meghan joined the royal family and married Prince Harry in 2018.

It’s been claimed Philip was ‘wary’ of the former TV star and drew comparisons to Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee King Edward (Queen Elizabeth II’s uncle) fell in love with before he abdicated the throne.
Prince Philip reportedly had a brutal nickname for Meghan Markle (Credit: Zak Hussein/INFevents.com via Cover Images)

Did Prince Philip like Meghan Markle?

Royal Expert Ingrid Seward claimed in her book, My Mother and I, that Prince Philip warned the late Queen about Meghan Markle before they tied the knot.

He warned his wife to be “cautious” of the Suits actress.

Ingrid wrote: “Soon the country as a whole seemed to take to Meghan with equally genuine delight.

“One of the few wary of succumbing to her charm offensive, however, was Prince Philip. While the Queen continued to champion Harry’s new love, he warned his wife to be cautious.

“Queen Elizabeth II was perfectly aware of what Philip meant when he drew parallels between Meghan and Wallis. Indeed, much later, she would remark in her clipped way that perhaps Harry had been ‘too in love’ with the American actress.”

Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, was an American socialite who married Prince Edward. Their hopes to tie the knot caused a stir due to her status as a divorcee went against the teachings of the Church of England – which Edward was the head after ascending the throne following the death of King George V. It led to Edward abdicating the throne, and his younger brother Prince Albert became king, taking on the name King George VI.

Edward and Wallis moved to Bois de Boulogne in France and lived their until his death. Wallis lived her final years in Paris after Edward’s passing, as a recluse.
The Duke of Edinburgh allegedly warned his wife about the actress (Credit: Zak Hussein/INFphoto.com via Cover Images)

What did Prince Philip call Meghan Markle?

Prince Philip, who died in 2021 due to ‘old age’ at 99 years old, reportedly had a nickname for Meghan Markle.

But Ingrid says the royal would never say this name to the Duchess of Sussex’s face.

In an interview with GB News, she claimed he couldn’t “get away from the similarities between Meghan and Harry and Edward and Mrs Simpson”.

“There are so many similarities which is why he used to call her The Duchess of Windsor, I mean not to her face. We used to call her dow – DOW.”

The author went on to add Philip reportedly thought the actress was “disruptive” within The Firm, but the late Queen remained hopeful.

Unfortunately, Prince Harry and Meghan were unhappy within the palace walls and decided to leave their roles and move to California with their son Prince Archie. They later welcomed daughter Princess Lilibet Diana.

The children have not returned to the UK, but the Duke of Sussex has come back on various occasions for court cases or the Invictus Games. Meghan did return for one trip in September 2022, which coincided with the death of Elizabeth II. The duo extended their visit to attend the funeral.
Meghan Markle was also given a nickname by King Charles (Credit: Cover Images)

What did Charles call Meghan Markle?

King Charles is said to have called Meghan ‘Tungsten’ when he was the prince of wales, referring to her resilience and strength. It was a nickname admiring her qualities and toughness, and a testament to her tenacity.

Tungsten is a rare, hard metal with a high melting point, known for its durability and heat resistance.

Technically, the Duchess already goes by a nickname – her middle name. Her full name before marrying Harry was Rachel Meghan Markle, but went by her middle name.

Other nicknames

The royals have used a variety of nicknames over the years, from adorable monikers used by children of The Firm, to others that have ‘stuck’ over the decades.

Queen Elizabeth II was referred to as Lilibet when she was a child, as she found it difficult to say her own name when she was a young girl. It was reportedly what Prince Philip, her husband, would call her, as well as ‘cabbage’.

Prince William would call his grandmother ‘Gary’ as he couldn’t pronounce Granny.

King Charles calls his wife Queen Camilla, ‘Gladys’, taken from a BBC radio show, The Goon Show, which he enjoyed. The pair first used the pet names when they were dating in their 20s and still keep up with the tradition today. Camilla in return calls him ‘Fred’.

Meghan and Harry enjoy calling each other by a letter – ‘H’ and ‘M’ – or the Duchess refers to him as Haz.