Prince Charles' Reported Nickname for Meghan Markle Is Kind of Awesome

It's fair to say that Meghan Markle is pretty resilient. How she handled the media attention after her relationship with Prince Harry went public was nothing short of graceful and brave. And Prince Charles has taken notice of Markle's toughness—so much so that he has a nickname for her based on it.

The royal patriarch reportedly calls his new daughter-in-law “Tungsten”—which is a type of metal—as a testament to the fact that she is “strong and unbending," according to the Daily Mail. "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," a source told the publication. "It's become a term of endearment.”

Strange? Sure. But also really, really sweet.

The New York Daily News reported that Markle helped inspire Prince Harry to quit smoking and live a healthier lifestyle, so the moniker certainly makes sense.

From the outside, it seems like Markle and Prince Charles have quite a close relationship. After Markle's own father was unable to attend the royal wedding, Prince Charles was tapped to walk her down the aisle at St. George’s Chapel, and was reportedly “terribly touched” to have had the honor. Markle was also said to have helped repair the elder prince’s relationship with his son. "Meghan met Charles and was bowled over by his charm," a source toldDaily Mail. "She told Harry he was wonderful: welcoming, warm, hard-working, kind, and stable. She made it clear that he should appreciate him and bond more.”

Prince Charles had equally flattering praise for Markle, according to Daily Mail: "She is so intelligent and so nice. She makes Harry happy. We could not like her more," he reportedly thinks.

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