Prince Philip was one of the few royals to warn Prince Harry of his relationship with Meghan Markle, according to experts, as he issued a stern nine-word warning when they got engaged. Writing in his revealing book Entitled, Andrew Lownie claimed that Harry’s grandfather was less supportive than the other family members of Meghan’s joining the Firm. Upon announcing their wedding plans, Philip reportedly said: “One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them.”
Harry, 41, got down on one knee after just 16-months of the pair dating, and royal biographer Ingrid Seward said Philip was less than impressed. In her book My Mother and I, Harry’s grandfather was “one of the very few wary” of Meghan, 44, during the start of the couple’s relationship. Philip also bestowed what he thought to be a humorous nickname of Meghan after Wallis Simpson.
The Duchess of Windsor was an American socialite who King Edward VIII abdicated to marry, therefore Philip named Meghan “DOW”.
However, Philip was not alone in his caution over Harry’s marriage to Meghan, as Prince William was reportedly “nervous” about the wedding.
In Harry’s memoir Spare, he wrote of his brother’s warnings to him prior to the big day. He said: “‘It’s too fast’, he’d told me. ‘Too soon’. In fact, he’d actually been pretty discouraging about me even dating Meg.”
Despite the numerous warnings, the pair married in May 2018. However, the Sussexes quickly withdrew from royal duties and relocated to North America in January 2020, causing Philip’s negative views to deepen further.
Ms Seward said Harry’s grandfather could not comprehend why Meghan didn’t follow his lead; After becoming the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip gave up his birth citizenship, his naval career and his surname.
Speaking to Sky News in 2020, the royal expert said: “I think he’s very, very disappointed because I think he feels he gave up his naval career in order to stand by the Queen and help the monarchy.
“And why can’t Meghan just give up her acting career, support her husband and support the monarchy?
“He just cannot understand why she couldn’t support Harry and help him rather than wanting to have her voice.”
