August M
As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrate eight years of marriage, renewed attention has fallen on the early relationship between Meghan and the royal family — particularly her reportedly close bond with King Charles.
Before tensions emerged between the Sussexes and the monarchy, royal insiders and biographers described a period when Charles held considerable admiration for his future daughter-in-law, reports The Express.
Special nickname
According to royal author Katie Nicholl’s book The New Royals, King Charles reportedly gave Meghan Markle the nickname “Tungsten.”
Nicholl wrote that the future king chose the name because he viewed Meghan as resilient and strong-minded.
The Daily Mail previously reported that the nickname referred to the durable metal tungsten, which Charles allegedly associated with Meghan’s toughness and confidence.
A source quoted by the Mail on Sunday claimed Charles admired the “backbone” Meghan brought into Prince Harry’s life.
“It’s become a term of endearment,” the source reportedly said at the time.
Early royal bond
Relations between Meghan and Charles were once widely viewed as warm and supportive.
The bond became particularly visible before Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding when Charles stepped in to accompany Meghan partway down the aisle at St George’s Chapel after her father was unable to attend.
The wedding at Windsor Castle drew global attention and included appearances from senior royals alongside numerous celebrity guests.
At the time, Meghan was often portrayed as integrating quickly into royal life before the couple later stepped back from official duties and relocated to the United States.
Growing concerns
Despite the public celebrations surrounding the royal wedding, some royal insiders reportedly expressed concerns privately about the relationship.
Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith wrote that Lady Elizabeth Anson, a cousin and confidante of Queen Elizabeth II, questioned whether Meghan genuinely loved Prince Harry.
“We hope but don’t quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all,” Lady Anson allegedly said, according to Bedell Smith’s account.
The author also claimed Lady Anson believed Meghan was “clearly brighter than Harry” and warned she needed to avoid overshadowing him publicly.
Palace tensions
According to Bedell Smith, tensions reportedly developed between the Sussexes and Queen Elizabeth during wedding preparations.
The biographer claimed the late monarch became upset over certain decisions related to the ceremony, including arrangements involving the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Lady Anson allegedly described the Queen as “very worried” about Prince Harry during that period, though later conversations suggested the pair had repaired their relationship before the wedding took place.
Since leaving royal duties in 2020, Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the monarchy has remained the subject of ongoing public and media scrutiny.
Sources: The Express, Katie Nicholl’s The New Royals, Daily Mail, Sally Bedell Smith
