Harry and Meghan's shock announcement compared to historic royal scandal

Royal fans all over the world were left gobsmacked when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took to their Instagram account this morning to announce they will be stepping back as senior members of the royal family.

People were divided online, with many applauding the Sussexes for the bold move and others expressing their shock at the unprecedented news.

But some couldn’t help but compare Harry and Meghan’s situation with one that occurred 83 years ago in the royal family, which rocked The Firm to its core.

Prince Edward VIII abdicated the throne so he could marry American divorcee, Wallis Simpson in 1936.

Much like Meghan Markle, who was previously married before she tied the knot to Prince Harry, Wallis Simpson was a twice-divorced mixed-race American actress when Edward fell in love with her.

In 1936, Edward asked the British parliament for permission to marry Wallis but they declined.

Just a few weeks later, Edward married Wallis in France and gave up his King title to Queen Elizabeth’s father, who became King George VI.

Numerologist Sarah Anderson (nee Yip) – aka ‘The Numbers Queen’ – believes there are similarities between the women.

“Meghan is a ‘4’ life path like Wallis Simpson, Fergie and the Queen Mother and ‘4’ females are not to be messed with,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle Australia.

“Wallis ended up getting King Edward to abdicate.”

Wallis is famously quoted as calling Edward a ‘goddamned fool’ for abdicating and the couple spent most of their years living in exile in France, shunned by the English royal family.

With Harry and Meghan preparing to forge their own path, the comparisons are obvious.

Despite this, Edward and Wallis were given the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, without the Royal Highness status.

Edward died in 1972 at the age of 77 and Wallis Simpson followed in 1986, at the age of 89.

They are both buried in the Royal Burial Ground beside Frogmore House, just metres from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s home.

However, the glaring difference here is that Prince Harry, who was born third in line to the throne, has had very little chance of actually ever becoming king.

Now, with the Cambridge children all in front of him in the line of succession, Prince Harry has dropped down to sixth in line to the throne.

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