Many thought that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were the first rebels in the usually proper Royal family, but they’d be wrong. Both Harry and his great-granduncle Edward VII married American divorcees, but they have an eery amount in common besides their choice in spouse. Here are the most uncanny similarities between Prince Harry and Edward VIII.
1. Let’s start with the obvious: both of the men, in a supposedly scandalous move, married previously divorced women. Meghan was married to talent agent and director Trevor Engelson back in 2011, but only for two years. Wallis, on the other hand, was married to an American Navy pilot called Earl Winfield Spencer Jr.
2. Edward and Harry were both extraordinarily charming and popular princes – dashing and debonair socialites of their generation. When the well-loved and admired Edward stepped down, it brought a tear to many eyes, and people feel the same about Prince Harry.
3. Both of their wives faced criticism from the media and British tabloids who didn’t respect boundaries. However, Meghan was accepted more readily than Edward’s beau back in 1936.
4. They love dancing and music. Edward carried this passion more so than academic inclinations, and Prince Harry has also had some pretty risqué tails in the tabloid that show a love for partying rather than university.
5. After both Harry and his relative enlisted in the army, they found their true passion on the front lines and shed their past troublemaking ways. Harry started training as an Officer Cadet back in 2005. Perhaps wearing uniforms made them feel more like ordinary people, hence the appeal.
6. Both Harry and Edward married late and were notoriously bachelors before. Prince Harry was age 33 when he got married, while Edward married Wallis Simpson at the mature age of 42.
7. They both met their future soulmates through mutual friends. That’s certainly a step up from our random Tinder matches.
8. While Edward and Simpson had a low-key wedding that none of the royal family attended, Meghan and Harry had a low-key engagement that apparently took place in their cottage on a quiet night in.
9. It looks like estrangement also runs in the family. Harry and Edward both had falling outs with their brothers as they became more severe with their respective lady friends. Evidently, Prince Albert, aka King George VI, stopped visiting Edward, while Harry said in a documentary that the two were “certainly on different paths.”
10. They both fell in love with America, which is perhaps the reason for their choices in spouse. Harry and his wife have decided to permanently raise little Archie and thrive in North America for the most part, so we can guess where he stands on the States. Edward even described America as “the place for me” and spent a few months after World War I, showing gratitude to the troops for their hard work.
11. Harry and Edward had a shared love for sports. From rugby to cricket, Harry also often goes hunting with Prince Charles. Edward, on the other hand, had a clear passion for golf but also loved playing polo and going hunting just like Harry.
12. They both had a lot of love for their mothers, who affected their stats of mind and how they saw the world. After Diana passed, Harry was quite traumatized by his loss of his mother, who he called particularly brave. Edward wasn’t given as much affection from his mother but was a clear mama’s boy even in exile, where he hung a portrait of her on the wall.
Both of these men boldly chose love over their expected familial duties and stepped out of that “stiff upper lip” mentality that the Brits seem to have nailed. Maybe Edward’s nuggets of wisdom somehow were passed onto Harry and inspired his confidence, along with the fiery spirit that makes him so likable and grants him such a large fan base.
Although they were both a century apart, they had a shocking amount in common. Both Harry and Edward are an inspirational reminder to trust your gut and live the life that you truly desire.