Sally Bedell Smith, a renowned Royal biographer, asserts that Meghan Markle exhibits the same ‘narcissistic and controlling’ traits as Wallis Simpson, while the Duke of Sussex is likened to King Edward VIII for his perceived weakness. Bedell Smith, known as one of the Royal Family’s ‘authorized’ biographers, suggests that the Duchess of Sussex’s behavior has ‘domineered’ and ‘altered the dynamic’ between William and Harry.
During the promotion of her latest book, which delves into how King George VI ‘rescued the monarchy’ following his brother Edward’s abdication in 1936, Bedell Smith draws parallels between these two sets of relationships. She posits that Prince William may have experienced a similar sense of ‘betrayal’ towards Harry, akin to the sentiment their great-grandfather harbored towards the Duke of Windsor upon his throne abdication.
The ongoing rift between the brothers, which has widened in recent years, shows no signs of reconciliation, as evidenced by their separate appearances at the Diana Legacy Awards in London last week.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor were photographed in England in 1939, three years following his abdication from the throne.
Addressing the Oxford Literary Festival, Bedell Smith remarked that the bond between William and Harry echoed the historical dynamics between King Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor, and King George VI almost nine decades prior.
Edward relinquished his reign mere months after assuming it to wed divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson, compelling George to ascend the throne until his passing in 1952.
In that scenario, Bedell Smith, aged 75, remarked that, much like the modern-day brothers, ‘an American woman entered the scene and altered the entire dynamic.’
According to The Telegraph, she stated, ‘It’s different. Harry was never destined to be King. However, I believe there are similar sentiments of betrayal, particularly on William’s part, who is understandably furious with his brother.’
‘In some aspects, Meghan and the Duchess of Windsor share similar traits: highly narcissistic, controlling, and dominating,’ she continued. ‘If you delve into [the Duke of Windsor’s] correspondence, you can discern his weakness and his reliance on a dominant woman, which seems to echo Harry’s situation.’
She further noted that despite the upheaval caused by his ‘fixation’ on Simpson and the subsequent abdication, Edward effectively ‘rescued Britain from an irresponsible King.’
Her latest book, ‘George VI and Elizabeth: the Marriage That Saved the Monarchy,’ recounts how Edward was supplanted by his more suitable younger brother for the role.
Last year, the Duke of Sussex greeted the crowd with a wave as he arrived to ceremonially drop the puck for a face-off at an NHL ice hockey game in Vancouver.
Prince William, the Prince of Wales, was in attendance at The Diana Legacy Awards held at the Science Museum on March 14th.
Discussing Edward VIII and George VI, Bedell Smith informed the audience that despite a ‘challenging childhood,’ the two had developed a ‘very strong bond.’
However, Edward’s abdication and subsequent behavior, notably his associations with fascists and Nazis, created a rift between the brothers.
According to The Times, Bedell Smith stated, ‘The Duke of Windsor engaged in many detrimental actions [post-abdication]. He misled his brother about his financial affairs, including plans to sell extensive land at Sandringham for personal gain. Such deceit, along with his overall conduct, contributed to the discord.’
MailOnline has reached out to representatives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
This development occurred just days after William and Harry made a rare joint appearance at the Diana Legacy Awards held at the Science Museum in London on March 14.
However, they were not present simultaneously, not even virtually, during the event’s 25th anniversary celebration.
By the time Harry, located 5,000 miles away in California, appeared via video link, William had already departed, leaving the event at 8:15 pm.
These events follow assertions by a royal expert that Princess Diana would have urged the brothers to reconcile and present the award in her honor.
The legacy award, initiated by The Diana Award in 2017, commemorates the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, on the 20th anniversary of her passing.
During the ceremony, William delivered a speech in person to commemorate the charity’s 25th anniversary and confer awards upon 20 recipients. The Prince of Wales attended the awards event solo, as his wife Kate continues to recuperate from abdominal surgery.
On March 14, Prince William, the Prince of Wales, engages in conversation with Tom Walker, Cel Spellman, and Dr. Tessy Oho CBE during his attendance at The Diana Legacy Awards.
A royal commentator asserted that Princess Diana (depicted in 1983) would have urged the brothers to set aside their feud and jointly present the award in her honor.
Reports indicated that Harry, residing in California, was scheduled to participate in a video call with the winners. However, his involvement occurred only after his brother had departed from the ceremony.
Throughout most of their lives, the royal brothers shared a close bond, drawn together by the profound loss of their mother, who tragically passed away at the age of 36 in a car crash in Paris in 1997, when William was 15 and Harry was 12.
However, since Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle in 2018, their relationship has deteriorated.
An explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 marked a significant turning point, while revelations about their relationship in Harry’s revealing memoir, “Spare,” released last year, only served to widen the gap between them.
The ongoing rift between the estranged brothers has cast a shadow over the entire royal family, leading to Harry and Meghan’s departure from the UK.
There was a glimmer of hope for reconciliation when Harry returned to Britain following the announcement of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis. However, the meeting between Harry and the King lasted only half an hour, with William making no arrangements to see his brother.
