Every day it seems there’s some new report about the British royal family. It makes sense, considering all the moving parts the family is dealing with right now. King Charles is sick, which means the succession conversations are ramping up. The King is also in a feud with his son, Prince Harry, a feud that reportedly also involves Prince William. And that affects everyone else, including Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle and even their kids.
But even though a lot of those reports are often negative, a new one about King Charles’ nickname for his daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, is actually kind of sweet. The two reportedly had a very close relationship before Harry and Meghan stepped down as working royals, and the nickname King Charles had for Meghan Markle proves that.
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A new book by royal expert Katie Nicholl, The New Royals, reveals that the King admired Markle’s strength of character and gave her a nickname to reflect this. Nicholl wrote: “Charles reportedly nicknamed his future daughter-in-law ‘Tungsten’ because of her toughness and resilience.”
The nickname had been reported before. In June 2018, the Daily Mail wrote that Charles called Meghan ‘Tungsten’, because she is “tough and unbending.” A source told the Mail on Sunday then: “Prince Charles admires Meghan for her strength and the backbone she gives Harry, who needs a tungsten-type figure in his life as he can be a bit of a softy. It’s become a term of endearment.”
King Charles even walked Meghan Markle down the aisle during her wedding to Prince Harry, after her father did not attend. That on top of the nickname, which the family is known for using to show affection, points to a very close relationship. But things appear to have taken a turn in the last few years, not just for Meghan Markle and King Charles, but for the King and his son, Prince Harry.
Recently, there were even reports Prince William in particular, was upset about Markle launching its debut rosé on July 1st, Princess Diana’s birthday. Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told The Sun that this move “struck a very specific nerve” within the Royal Family. Schofield added that “Timing an alcohol launch to Diana’s birthday wasn’t just a misstep, it was borderline cruel.”
However, recent reports point to a possible reconciliation for the warring members of the royal family. King Charles and Prince Harry’s relationship might reportedly be on the mend after Prince Harry gave an interview where he expressed his desire for reconciliation, and reports surfaced that he might invite his father to the next Invictus Games, which are taking place in Birmingham in 2027.
Plus, there are reports that the King would want both Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, alongside their kids, to be heavily involved in his funeral.
All of this—and the previously reported nickname which has now resurfaced—points to a relationship that was close enough at one point to be salvaged. Now, it’s just about waiting to see if things can really be fixed.