Prince Philip welcomed Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's wife, into the family in the beginning but he soon formed an impression that the Duchess of Sussex might be a lot like Wallis Simpson, the woman who changed the course of Queen Elizabeth's life.
In the book Prince Philip Revealed, author Ingrid Seward claimed that Prince Philip sees Meghan as a destructive and divisive force as Wallis. Meghan was the American who pushed Prince Harry to "abdicate" his royal duties in the same way that Simpson forced King Edward VIII, Queen Elizabeth's uncle, give up his crown.
In the 1930s, King Edward VIII stepped down from the throne so he could marry and live a different life with Simpson, a twice-divorced American who could never become the Queen Consort. That abdication led to his brother, Prince Albert, ascending to the throne as King George VI.
Queen Elizabeth believes that the burden his father had to bear would not have happened too soon if his brother remained dutiful. Duty is also the principle by which Prince Philip lives.
Seward told Vanity Fair that the Duke of Edinburgh was sympathetic and supportive of Meghan, at first, since they are both outsiders in the British royal family. However, that changed when Harry and Meghan refused to listen and put their duty to the monarchy first, then family second.
After Harry and Meghan quit their royal roles, Seward claimed that Prince Philip's relationship with his grandson soured. The Queen's husband, who devoted nearly seven decades of his life to stand behind the monarch, apparently could not understand the Duke of Sussex's behavior.
But if this was the sentiment of Prince Philip, The Crown actress Emma Corrin believes that Meghan is comparable to the late Princess Diana. The Queen's daughter-in-law was also seen as disruptive to the royal family and, like Meghan, the Princess of Wales was constantly hounded by the media.
Corrin said that the tabloid's mistreatment of Meghan is history repeating itself. The actress, who plays Princess Diana in The Crown, said that she's baffled at the tabloid's obsession with Diana and Meghan.
Both Diana and Meghan expected to join a "family" when they married their royal-born husbands. But what they ended up with were traditions, coldness and a lot of expectations since the British royal family is unlike any other family.
Meanwhile, Prince Philip apparently walked away when the Queen had her summit with Harry. The Duke of Edinburgh was said to have stopped himself from interfering with Harry and Meghan's decision after realizing his advice were disregarded.
