King Charles and Meghan Markle reportedly shared a surprisingly warm and respectful relationship during the early years of her time as a working royal. Although today it’s unclear where they truly stand with one another — and many believe the distance and controversies have strained their bond — there was once a time when Charles held Meghan in notably high regard. In fact, he even had an affectionate nickname for her, one that most people would never guess.
According to royal authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in their book Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of the Modern Royal Family, Charles was completely blindsided when Harry first began seeing Meghan. At the time, Charles — still Prince of Wales — had no warning, no hint, and certainly no briefing about Harry’s new romance. The authors state that he learned about the relationship only twenty minutes before the news broke publicly, giving him virtually no time to prepare for the inevitable media storm.
The revelation reportedly left Charles and his staff at Clarence House “crushed.” But not because they disapproved of Meghan — it had nothing to do with her at all. Instead, the timing of the announcement could not have been worse from Charles’s perspective. He was gearing up for a strategically important diplomatic tour of the Middle East, a trip that had required months of careful planning. The Palace communications team hoped the visit would draw significant attention and highlight Charles’s ongoing humanitarian work in the region.
Then, in an instant, the spotlight shifted.
A statement from Kensington Palace confirming Harry’s new relationship — while simultaneously condemning aggressive press intrusion — exploded across news outlets. Scobie and Durand wrote that Charles understood immediately what this meant: the headlines expected to focus on his diplomatic mission would now be overshadowed by a royal love story, the kind of news the public couldn’t resist clicking on.
“It was a crucial moment Charles had been preparing for,” the authors explained. “A statement from Kensington Palace that both condemned the press and confirmed Harry’s new relationship would overshadow Prince Charles’s tour of the Gulf completely.”
Clarence House staff, who had devoted intense effort to organizing the trip, reportedly felt “deflated.” All their work — the schedule, the meetings, the briefing documents — seemed destined to fall behind the noise of the romance announcement. Even so, Charles was said to have understood why Harry and Meghan felt the need to go public when they did. The press pressure had become overwhelming, and delaying the announcement might have only made things more chaotic.
Despite the rocky start surrounding the timing of their relationship reveal, Meghan and Charles’s bond grew significantly over time. Meghan transitioned from being Harry’s new girlfriend to becoming an official member of the royal family, and Charles’s daughter-in-law. Their closeness was especially evident on Meghan’s wedding day, when Charles stepped in to walk her down the aisle after she chose not to have her own father present. It was a gesture that touched many observers and suggested genuine warmth between them.
And this brings us to his unexpected nickname for her.
According to Palace insider Charlotte Griffiths, writing for the Mail in 2018, Charles affectionately referred to Meghan as “Tungsten.”
Yes — tungsten, the chemical element known for having the highest melting point of any metal. It’s durable, unbreakable, steady under pressure — qualities Charles apparently admired in Meghan.
Griffiths explained:
“Prince Charles (now King Charles) admires Meghan for her strength and for the backbone she gives Harry. He needs someone with a tungsten-like toughness in his life because he can be quite sensitive. For Charles, it became a term of endearment.”
It’s an unusual nickname, but in Charles’s world — one built on symbolism and subtle meaning — it makes sense. To him, Meghan represented resilience and emotional strength, qualities he believed were essential for Harry’s well-being and stability.
Of course, much has changed since then. Family tensions, public statements, media interviews, and the couple’s departure from royal duties have created distance. It’s hard to know what Charles truly feels today, but this glimpse into the past shows that their relationship once held genuine admiration and even affection.
What about you?
How do you feel about King Charles as a monarch — and about his complicated family dynamics?
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