Meghan Markle Has Been Subject To Some Harsh Nicknames

Since stepping away from her senior position in the British royal family, Meghan Markle has been the subject of a few nasty nicknames that reportedly coincide with her unruly behavior. Following her and Prince Harry's relocation to Montecito, California, Meghan was nicknamed "The Princess of Montecito" by neighbors, who reportedly claim she still conducts herself like a royal. Those close to the royal family reportedly seldom call the couple by their given names, choosing instead to refer to them coldly as "persons who live overseas," according to Craig Brown's book "A Voyage Around the Queen" (via the Daily Express).

Palace staff have publicly acknowledged their use of a nickname for the American-born royal, whom they referred to as "Duchess of Difficult" while she was still carrying out her royal duties. "She could be difficult because she was finding life difficult — trying to feel her way and work out the intricacies of a positively medieval, labyrinthine system," a former member of the palace staff said (via The London Times). Her difficulty adjusting to palace life apparently resulted in a bit of a chore for the staff, thus earning the unpleasant title. 

It wasn't only palace employees that tagged Meghan with a moniker. Sources revealed to the Daily Mail in 2018 that King Charles referred to his daughter-in-law as "Tungsten" because, like the metal, she was unbending. "Prince Charles admires Meghan for her strength and the backbone she gives Harry, who needs a tungsten-type figure in his life," a source told the outlet. Although the tough metal may not be instantly seen as a term of endearment, apparently, it was in this case. 

The rainbow of names the British gave Meghan Markle varies in severity, but American name-calling was at its peak when Meghan was anointed with one of her coldest nicknames. UK royal correspondent Neil Sean told Fox News that Spotify employees who worked on Meghan's "Archetypes" podcast — which was canceled after one season — often referred to her as Eva. The name was a nod to the 1955 film classic "Queen Bee," starring Joan Crawford.

This was not meant as a complimentary name; according to Sean, it was inspired by how the character Eva stung her victims. Reportedly, many of the Spotify workers felt that Meghan could be equally stinging, and used the nickname as a code between each other.

The Spotify employees further declared their gripes with Meghan in a revealing Vanity Fair exposé in January 2025. A source familiar with the work atmosphere around "Archetypes" said of Meghan, "She's constantly playing checkers  ... she's just very aware of where everybody is on her board." The source went on to claim that if you didn't fit into Meghan's plans, she could cast you aside at any moment. Behavior like this led to employees using Eva as yet another brutal nickname to add to Meghan's growing list.