According to a royal expert, the late Prince Philip had a rather pointed and unkind nickname for the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. The nickname drew a comparison to Wallis Simpson, the controversial American divorcée who married King Edward VIII, leading to his abdication of the throne in 1936. This connection between Meghan and Wallis emphasized their shared backgrounds as American divorcées who married into the royal family.

Wallis Simpson, after her marriage to Edward, became one of the most controversial figures in royal history. Because royals were prohibited from marrying divorced individuals at the time, Edward’s decision to abdicate the throne caused a significant stir. After their marriage, Edward and Wallis were exiled and not allowed to return to the UK without permission from his brother, King George VI, due to fears of public unrest. Their time in exile frequently made headlines, including a notorious 1937 visit to Nazi Germany, where they were photographed giving the Nazi salute during a meeting with Adolf Hitler.