Why did Prince Philip call Meghan Markle D.O.W? Late Duke of Edinburgh warned Queen Elizabeth to be “cautious” of Prince Harry’s then-girlfriend

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, reminded the late Prince Philip of the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, as revealed in Ingrid Seward's new book, My Mother and I. The late Duke of Edinburgh warned his wife, Queen Elizabeth, to be "cautious" of Prince Harry's then-new American girlfriend.

The Duchess of Windsor was the wife of Queen Elizabeth's late uncle, Edward VIII. Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American socialite.

Ingrid Seward's upcoming book, My Mother and I, talks about the relationship between the late Queen Elizabeth II and her son, King Charles III. In an excerpt from the book, Seward revealed that it was "uncanny" how much Meghan Markle reminded the Duke of the Duchess of Windsor.

From the moment he found Meghan Markle's apparent similarity to the Duchess of Windsor, Prince Philip started referring to her as "D.O.W." Ingrid Seward mentioned that Queen Elizabeth II took an immediate liking to Meghan after meeting her for tea at Buckingham Palace in 2017. In the book, Seward stated:

“Not only did she like her, she had high hopes for what the American actress might be able to achieve with Harry for the youth of the Commonwealth.”

However, the Queen's husband asked her to be "cautious" of Markle due to her uncanny similarity to the Duchess of Windsor.

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Meghan Markle uncannily reminded Prince Philip of the Duchess of Windsor

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala (Image via Getty Images/Mike Coppola)

Prince Philip was not merely talking about how both Meghan Markle and the Duchess of Windsor were "pencil-slim, dark-haired and glamorous American divorcees." Seward explained that his "barbed" remark indicated that like the Duchess of Windsor, Meghan Markle could be a disrupting force in the royal family. Seward stated in the book:

"One of the few wary of succumbing to her charm offensive, however, was Prince Philip. While the Queen continued to champion Harry’s new love, he warned his wife to be cautious. It was uncanny, he told her, how much Meghan reminded him of the Duchess of Windsor."

Seward continued:

"He wasn’t simply referring to the fact that both were pencil-slim, dark-haired and glamorous American divorcees. There was a wealth of subtext in his barbed remark."

After Edward VIII renounced the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, his younger brother—Queen Elizabeth's father—ascended to the throne as next in line. As per Seward's book, Queen Elizabeth's mother always referred to Simpson as the "wicked enchantress" who forced her husband into a "high-stressed" position, leading to his early death.

Queen Elizabeth was 10 when her father became the King and 25 when he died. Seward mentioned that the Queen was "perfectly aware" of what Prince Philip meant when he compared Markle to Simpson.

Although the Queen approved of the former actress, she felt her wedding dress was "too white" for someone who had been married before. However, she never voiced her true opinions of Meghan Markle, except to her closest confidantes.

According to The Mercury News, Seward also revealed that the Queen was shocked at Prince Harry's "high-handed attitude" before and after his wedding, which harmed his relationship with his grandfather.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey further upset the Queen. Markle mentioned how she believed the royal family was racist, while Harry explained that his father was "trapped" into becoming the King. Seward said in her book:

“She couldn’t condone the way he was speaking about the institution of the monarchy she’d spent 70 years preserving.”

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry spoke about how the Duchess of Windsor's name came up when he discussed his intentions of proposing to Markle with the royal aides in 2017.