People have been drawing comparisons between Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson ever since Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from senior royal duties in January 2020. Some of the comparisons are interesting and even fair; after all, both women have been in relationships that brought some major changes to the way the royal family is structured and how it operates.
Other comparisons are less than logical, especially when you look at the culture surrounding each relationship. Here are the things Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson have in common — and the things they do not.
Similarities Between Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson
Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle confirmed their relationship, comparisons between Meghan and Wallis Simpson have been made. It might be that the temptation is just too strong; after all, one royal scandal will always remind us of a previous one.
They are both American.
For starters, both Meghan and Wallis are American. Meghan was born in August 1981 in Los Angeles, California, and Wallis Simpson was born in June 1896 in Pennsylvania. Based on their births alone, it was always unlikely that either would ever marry into the British royal family.
They were both famous before meeting their royal husbands.
Meghan Markle had already carved out a career as a respected and well-liked actress before she ever met Prince Harry. She gave up her work after getting engaged, and she is now directly involved in numerous philanthropic efforts alongside Prince Harry.
Wallis was a socialite and was already well-known in some circles before she married Edward.
They were both also divorced.
Both Meghan and Wallis had each been divorced prior to meeting their royal matches. Meghan was married to Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2013. The pair cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their divorce, which was finalized in August 2013.
Wallis was married twice before she met Edward. Her first marriage to Earl Winfield Spencer Jr. lasted from 1916 to 1927. She was married again to Ernest Aldrich Simpson, and that marriage lasted from 1928 to 1936.
Both of their husbands 'stepped back' from royal life.
Edward and Wallis began their relationship in 1934; in 1936, Edward's father died and he became king. Tension within royal circles reached a boiling point as it became evident that the two intended to marry. In the end, Edward abdicated the throne so that he and Wallis could wed.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle famously stepped away from life as senior royals in January 2020.
They met their husbands through friends.
Meghan and Wallis share another similarity: They were both introduced to their husbands by friends. Edward and Wallis met while both at the home of Lady Furness, who was reportedly in a relationship with Edward at the time.
Harry and Meghan were set up on a blind date by a shared friend back in 2016.
They were both attacked by the British press.
Both Wallis and Meghan share another reality that is pretty unfortunate: They were both mistreated by the British press. Both women were seen as the one who stole away a royal and tricked him into marriage; Wallis once told her friend Herman Rogers that the attention made her "want to run away and hide."
Differences Between Meghan and Wallis
Of course, there are plenty of differences between the two women as well. While it's tempting to point to all of their similarities, especially in light of the ongoing tensions between the royal family and Meghan and Harry, it's worth looking at how they differ, too.
The royal family treated the women very differently in the beginning.
Wallis Simpson and Meghan Markle were each treated quite differently by the royal family in the beginning of their relationships. No one in his family supported Edward's intention to marry Wallis; on the flip side, the Queen happily gave her blessing for Harry and Meghan's May 2018 wedding.
Their weddings were very different, too.
That treatment extended to each of their weddings. No members of the royal family attended Wallis and Edward's wedding in June 1937. On the flip side, Harry and Meghan's wedding was attended by the entire family as well as numerous celebrity guests.
Ultimately, Meghan Markle and Wallis Simpson have each chosen to live their lives in ways that are remarkably similar but that also have major differences. Wallis and Edward remained together for the rest of their lives, and Meghan and Prince Harry are steadily building a life together in California that looks to be full of love and family.
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
