King Charles has a secret nickname for Meghan Markle and it's actually lovely

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, laughs with King Charles at Day 1 of Royal Ascot in 2018
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Meghan Markle is one of the most talked-about women in the world, and from her and Prince Harry's charity work, to their recently announced Valentine's plans, they never fail to make headline news. 

It was Meghan's name that got the world talking this week however, as a sweet anecdote about her nickname from King Charles resurfaced, and unsurprisingly went viral. 

The 42-year-old actress has an array of nicknames. And while Harry calls her "Meg" and mum Doria refers to her as "Flower" - yet another reason to love Doria Ragland, King Charles' secret nickname for the Duchess might just be our favourite yet.

Yes, while there is currently said to be royal tension between the Sussex couple and the King, Meghan did once have a close relationship with her father-in-law, with him even walking her down the aisle in the place of her own dad at their 2018 wedding.

We didn't know just quite how fond King Charles was of Meghan Markle however until we heard his nickname for her.

The name? Tungsten.

While it might seem strange that she's been named after a strong metal, according to royal experts, there's a very sweet explanation behind it.

"Charles reportedly nicknamed his future daughter-in-law 'Tungsten' because of her toughness and resilience," explained Katie Nicholl in her 2022 book, The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown.

"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," added a source via the Mail.

The resurfacing of this news comes amid reports that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reached out to King Charles, with the monarch recently undergoing a "corrective" procedure on his prostate.

"Whatever has happened, the King loves his son. We know that there were calls at the end of last year, around the time of the King's birthday," Katie Nicholl explained to Entertainment Tonight. "Whatever's happened between them, Harry will be concerned for his father. It's still his father. He's still gone in for an operation. Yes, a pretty standard one, but a procedure nonetheless. One wonders if this might just be the opening that's needed for a bit more dialogue between the king, and possibly even Princess Catherine."

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.