Prince Charles's Nickname for Meghan Markle Is Surprisingly Meaningful

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave royal fans just about everything they could have asked for during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee. There were Dior outfits, delightful photos, and, of course, the fact that little Lilibet has met her grandmother now after so long. In a new report from The Daily Express, a source close to the royals revealed another tidbut from within the rarified walls of the British monarchy: that Prince Charles has a sweet, although somewhat surprising, nickname for Markle: "Tungsten."

Christine-Marie Liwag Dixon of The List explained that it's a "pretty neat compliment" to be named for a rare Earth metal, because it is supposed to reflect on Meghan's "resilient nature."

"Meghan Markle hasn't had an easy time of it since joining the royal family," Liwag Dixon said. "Not only has the press hounded her relentless, but she has also said that she felt less than at home in the royal family. The royal family may not have approved of Meghan and Harry stepping down as senior royals, despite them doing so to escape an environment that was clearly not good for their mental health. However, it seems that Prince Charles had a lot of respect for Meghan's resilient nature. This was evident in the secret nickname he reportedly had for her: 'Tungsten.'"

"Tungsten is the strongest naturally occurring metal in the planet," Liwag Dixon added. "That makes this a pretty neat compliment, all things considered."

Russell Myers, a royal correspondent, agreed, saying that Charles "nicknamed her after the metal as she is 'tough and unbending.'"

Tungsten isn't the only nickname being used in royal circles. Before the world knew that Meghan went by Tungsten, Harry and Meghan shared that they call each other by their first initials, "H" and "M" (not a callback to the fast-fashion clothing retailer). During the documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, Meghan revealed the special nickname for Harry, who seemed to get a bit embarrassed that the entire world knew that he went by "H" at home.