Wallis and Edward and Harry and Meghan - A Study in Synastry
by Wanda Sellar
There are interesting points of comparison between the two biwheel synastry charts of Wallis Simpson/Edward VIII and Prince Harry/Meghan Markle (the Duke and Duchess of Sussex). But also points of contrast.
Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson in 1936
Source: National Media Museum from UK, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2017
Source: Mark Jones, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Eighty-five years ago, an American divorcée spirited away a royal from the UK. In 2018, history seemed to repeat itself when Prince Harry married American divorcée Meghan Markle.
In 1936 the highly popular King Edward VIII surrendered his throne to marry the woman he loved, socialite Wallis Simpson. The Anglican Church, of which the king was the head, forbade the remarriage of divorced persons whose ex-partners were still living.
There were no such barriers to the marriage of Prince Harry, also highly popular, and Meghan Markle, a successful TV actress. This time the royal family and the British public appeared in general to have welcomed Meghan into the family fold. Yet the couple’s popularity in the UK soon took a dive. As we all know Harry and Meghan now live in the United States. The former King Edward also left these shores with his new wife, subsequently known as the Duke and the Duchess of Windsor. They made their permanent home in France.
A stunned nation had heard the king’s abdication broadcast from Windsor Castle at 22:01 hours on 11 December 1936. If the marriage had gone ahead the government would have resigned, forcing a general election, with no guarantee that any political party would form a government. England and the Commonwealth might have been plunged into chaos.
Edward’s brother – to rule as King George VI – reluctantly stepped into the breech. The ex-king was a tough act to follow. Caught extensively on early film, Edward had dazzled the public throughout his youth, making royalty more accessible than ever before. His popularity was equal to that of the late Princess Diana, Harry’s mother.
The 10th house rules kings in a horoscope, and that house in Edward’s chart has Sagittarius on the cusp, suggesting far-reaching aims. Indeed, as Prince of Wales, he travelled across the world promoting the monarchy. But Jupiter is in detriment in Gemini. Edward was not happy with restrictive royal protocol and preferred the hedonistic informality of the new Jazz Age. Jupiter’s conjunction to Neptune dissolves resolve though a sense of duty is not lacking with Jupiter’s trine to Saturn. However, Jupiter’s square to Chiron in the Virgo 7th house suggests a wound in personal contacts. Neptune and Pluto join Jupiter in the 4th house and impersonalise family relations: Edward’s parents King George V and Mary of Teck put duty before family. Nurturing was therefore in short supply.
Aspects to the Midheaven include Mercury and Mars, the three forming a Grand Trine describing Edward’s talent in public speaking and his successful military career. The Midheaven picks up a square from the Moon in sensitive Pisces which together with a sesquiquadrate to Saturn can create a feeling of confinement (Bailey A., Esoteric Astrology, Lucis Press, 1951/79, p. 115). The Moon’s square to Fortuna in Taurus suggests riches (Edward as king had given up a fortune but as Duke of Windsor he prospered in shares). Fortuna conjunct Venus in Taurus gives very strong desires and since our goddess of love is unaspected by other planets, this suggests limitless emotional needs. A trine from Venus to the Ascendant gave Edward considerable charm. Emotions are further heightened by Venus reception with the Moon by exaltation. Indeed, Edward was used to having every whim gratified so his desire to wed the woman he loved could not be denied. Equally strong needs are seen by domicile Mars in Aries, ruling the 2nd house of possessions; and since Mars is square the Sun, ruling the 7th house of marriage, he would fight for his choice of marital partner.
Saturn and Uranus, the two handles of this Bucket style chart, dip a toe into the 8th and 9th houses suggesting the monumental struggle against government and the church. Saturn is trine the three planets in 4th house indicating duty, sacrifice and endurance.
Uranus, the modern ruler of the Aquarius Ascendant, shows reformative tendencies which might have been implemented had he relinquished his desire to marry Wallis. Having toured the slums of England he saw at first hand the terrible deprivation amongst the common folk. His front-line involvement in WW1 saw him witness the suffering of the ordinary soldier, too.
Wallis: biography
Wallis Simpson, who had stolen Edward’s heart, was neither young nor beautiful but she had an engaging personality, as many testified. But so much mud was slung at her at the time that it is difficult now to separate fact from fiction. The truth, as Oscar Wilde said, is “rarely pure and never simple” (The Importance of Being Ernest, 1895). It seems that instead of being supremely flattered by the king’s sacrifice, she was horrified. Official papers show that she did not want the king to abdicate.
Yet no fireworks exploded at the beginning of their acquaintance around 1931. She and her husband Ernest Simpson were cock-a-hoop to be on nodding terms with royalty. Wallis got more than she bargained for when the prince fell in love with her and did not discard her as he had others, and which she expected.
It has been said that Edward’s abdication actually averted a greater constitutional crisis. In 1936 war was looming with Nazi Germany and Edward was very pro-German. How could he be otherwise? British royalty had rivers of German blood running through its veins. It was feared that had he stayed on the throne he would have lobbied strongly for appeasement.
Wallis: astrology
How does Wallis’ chart reveal her battered reputation? This area is ruled by the 10th house, as it does career and kingship. And if her rectified chart* is correct, she also has Sagittarius on the 10th-house cusp, like Edward. Indeed, she was well travelled, and she did aim high.
The ruler Jupiter is in the royal sign of Leo though in the 6th house of service: actually, a good description of a successful hostess, a normal aspiration of an early 20th century Southern Belle. She fulfilled the role superbly in her first two marriages and would do so fabulously in her third, for Jupiter is half-square Venus in Gemini, 4th house. She was quick witted – as expected with all those planets in Gemini. Success in society is further promised by Jupiter’s trine to the Midheaven. So far so good, but where is the threat of a tarnished reputation?
One, the Midheaven ruler Jupiter is square to Ascendant ruler Saturn in Scorpio, and Ascendant co-ruler Uranus joins Saturn in the 9th house and squares the Ascendant indicating cataclysmic trials abroad.
During 1936 progressed Venus at 13°51' Leo was in a separating square from natal Saturn 12°57' Scorpio – difficulties in love life.
Two, Pluto’s opposition to the Midheaven from the 4th house suggests disruption in home and career. Both the future Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s ties with their respective families were all but severed. Family meant a great deal to her since the ruler of the 4th house, Mercury, is strong in domicile and in the 4th house.
During 1936 transiting Saturn in Pisces was square all 4th-house planets including Pluto destabilising the ground.
The core of this See-Saw shape is the opposition between the Moon and Mars, the latter very strong in domicile, Aries, ruling the 2nd house, like that of Edward’s. She mixed with the rich but always feared poverty, signified by the other end of the opposition – Moon in 8th house of loss. In Libra, the Moon’s conjunction to Fortuna brought buckets of charm and luck but was spoilt by Chiron’s proximity. Gain and loss were no strangers, also confirmed by the combust Venus ruler of the 8th house. Nevertheless, the latter half of her life was wealthy enough.
Synastry
Wallis enjoyed the trappings of royalty with Edward as prince, but it all came apart when he became king. Whilst Edward was a prince, succession was not quite as urgent as when he was king: it forced his hand.
Synastry of Wallis and Edward
The two charts in a biwheel seem to meld into one another, which makes for both closeness and irritation! The major planetary placings coincide mainly with their 4th and 5th houses and their 8th and 9th houses. They also share the sociable sign of Aquarius as Ascendant. The outcome of this appears that after they were married the king seemed to lose his personality within the persona of his wife. He wouldn’t make a decision without consulting her first. Further, she has the edge on the assertive positive signs – her eight to his five.
With his Sun and Moon in water (feeling) and her lights in air (mind) this brought together two incompatible elements: so much adjustment was needed in the marriage. Not quite the perfect relationship! She preferred the society of the town, he the country and gardening. Despite it all, marriage might seem inevitable when their respective Suns, both ruling the 7th house of wedlock, conjoin each other in their respective 5th houses. There was no limit to Edward’s passion (Venus unaspected) and nothing short of marriage would do.
Some observers at the time described the bond between Wallis and Edward as a psychological one and inclining somewhat to a mother/son relationship. Could one explanation be the emphasis on the 4th and 5th houses in the combined charts? Another could be the Moon/Saturn combination bringing a parental flavour into their relationship since her Moon at 21°15' Libra conjoins his Saturn at 18°25' Libra. This also picks up his own Moon by sesquiquadrate. Was there something oedipal about this relationship?
There is also an interesting pattern in Edward’s chart created by sextiles involving Mercury. They join up to make a six-sided hexagon figure except for one crucial missing sextile – between the South Node and Mercury. This leaves the area of the 7th house empty, as it were, yearning to be filled. Wallis’ nodes and Jupiter supply the plug.
Incidentally, a cuspal 7th house Mercury needs constant stimulation in a marriage (Thornton P., Synastry, The Aquarian Press, 1982, p. 55) and Wallis spent her life as the perfect hostess trying to amuse her ex-king husband with parties, dinners, dancing, and travelling. Apparently, she once said that it was very hard to live out a great romance!
Harry and Meghan
Harry’s chart is a Sling shape which suggests a determined and resolute individual; and with the handle being an exalted and angular Moon in Taurus, 4th house, privilege is assured. The North Node, also in the 4th, suggests the importance of family. However, Chiron just escaping into the 5th house suggests a blight on childhood, no doubt caused by his mother’s death.
This could be confirmed by the Moon in a wide opposition to Saturn which cusps the Midheaven, sliding them all into a midpoint: MC on Moon/Saturn which indicates a feeling of desertion and loneliness linked to family, mother and career.
Harry and Meghan, both charts
Harry and Meghan, synastry chart
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle,90-degree wheel;
The 90-degree wheel forms three sections: 0-30 degrees cardinal, 30-60 degrees fixed and 60-90 degrees mutable. Planets in each modality are placed in the appropriate section.
Sources: ADB Harry, ADB Meghan
It is interesting that Venus, which rules the cusp of the 4th house, shows up in Libra, the cusp of 9th house, indicating a happy home abroad. However, Pluto and Saturn are also in the 9th house which rather suggests some grief to follow.
Harry’s all important Moon bonds with Meghan’s Chiron within a degree so they can empathise with each other’s emotional pain. Otherwise, the closest aspect between the two charts is Meghan’s Mars at 11° Cancer which falls exactly on Harry’s Descendant at 11° Cancer, opposing his Ascendant. Mars is square Meghan’s Midheaven at 11° Aries and together they link up with Harry’s Ascendant/Descent line 11° Capricorn/11° Cancer. Harry’s AC/DC line falls on his Venus/Jupiter midpoint of great happiness.
Meghan has a Bowl-shaped chart. Mars, the leading planet, is at the apex of the t-square in Cancer, in the 12th house, and is likely to fight for the rights of others. This has already been seen in her work as a Global Ambassador for World Vision, the world’s largest international children’s charity, during 2016–2017.
The usual signature for strong sexual attraction is a Venus/Mars connection. Most people agree that 4° is the acceptable orb in inter-aspects but here we stretch a point by allowing a 6° orb to create a double whammy. Meghan’s Mars at 11° Cancer square Harry’s Venus at 17° Libra. Hurry’s Mars at 16° Sagittarius is square Meghan’s Venus at 13° Virgo.
That this is a happy union shows up with their close Moon/Jupiter connection: her Moon 4° Libra and his Jupiter at 3° Capricorn. The most difficult combination is perhaps the square between her Sun 11° Leo at and his Saturn at 12° Scorpio which is restrictive. A Leo Sun is highly expressive and from what we have heard, it seems Meghan could not express her identity within the constraints of the tradition that is the royal family.
With Harry’s chart being predominantly earth and Meghan’s air, some adjustments have to be made since the elements are not compatible. Neither were those of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor who, as we have seen, were water and air respectively.
Of course, there are many other contacts in both sets of charts but mentioning too many inter-aspects can set the brain reeling. Also, only hard aspects have been considered following the ideas of astrologer Reinhold Ebertin.
Acknowledgements:
THRH the Duke of Windsor, A King’s Story, Cassel & Co 1951.
The Duchess of Windsor, The Heart has its Reasons, Tandem 1956.
Bloch, Michael, editor, Wallis and Edward Letters 1931-1937, Summit Books 1986.
Morton, Andrew, Wallis in Love, Michael O’Mara Books Ltd., Grand Central Publishing/Hatchette Book Group 2018.
Timeline of Edward VIII's abdication: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2701463.stm
Chart data from Astro-Databank:
Comment on Simpson's birth time: *Rodden has 10:30 pm in Profiles of Women, p. 389, writing: “R.H. Oliver quotes the attending physician in a letter in AA 1/1937, as ‘he recalled the unusual circumstances of her birth’.” Rodden gave an A rating in the 1996 edition of her book, but only DD when she put the data in Astro-Databank.
Published by: The Astrological Journal, Nov/Dec 2021
Author:
Wanda Sellar is a past president of the Astrological Lodge of London. Currently she co-ordinates the program for this organisation. She edits the Astrology & Medicine Newsletter for the Astrological Association, and is the author of two books on aromatherapy, and four books on astrology. Her latest is Chart Shapes: The Code to Interpretation (2019). Email: wandaelizabethsellar@gmail.com
© Wanda Sellar, 2021/22
