While members of the Royal Family generally go by their formal titles in public, behind closed doors, they have a host of affectionate pet names for one another.
Some of these monikers are reserved strictly for immediate family and close friends, ranging from deeply personal titles to more unusual choices – such as the secret names King Charles and Queen Camilla gave each other when they first dated.
Here is a look at the pet names used for the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and Princess Beatrice, some of which may come as a surprise...
King Charles and Queen Camilla
© Getty ImagesKing Charles and Queen Camilla had given each other nicknames when they dated in their twenties. As seen on season four of The Crown, the now-married couple apparently called one another 'Fred' and 'Gladys', inspired by characters from BBC radio's The Goon Show.
The Princess of Wales
© AFP via Getty ImagesPrincess Kate was nicknamed "Squeak" as a young girl at St Andrew's School in Berkshire. She explained how the name came about while on a visit to the school years later.
"I was nicknamed Squeak just like my guinea pig," she said. "There was one called Pip and one called Squeak because my sister was called Pippa and I was Squeak."
Popular at senior school, there were reports Kate was known as the "Princess-in-waiting" by her fellow Marlborough College pupils.
Sweetly, Prince William and Kate were overheard using their nicknames for each other at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016.
They referred lovingly to each other as "darling" and "babe". While inspecting a poppy display, William asked his wife, "Could you make one of these, darling?"
The Prince of Wales
© Getty ImagesPrincess Diana was the first person to give her son a nickname. Prince William revealed his late mum used to call him "Wombat". In a 2007 interview with NBC's Matt Lauer, he explained: "It began when I was two. I've been rightfully told because I can't remember back that far. But when we went to Australia with our parents, and the wombat, you know, that's the local animal.
"So I just basically got called that. Not because I look like a wombat, or maybe I do."
Meanwhile, the public and his friends call him "Wills" - although his full name is William Arthur Philip Louis.
At the University of St Andrews in Scotland, the future King was known as "Steve" to keep a low profile and avoid any unwanted attention.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex
© KOLA SULAIMONAffectionately the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex have a selection of sweet nicknames for each other.
They call each other H and M, the initials of their first names. This was first revealed in an interview with Tom Bradby for ITV documentary Harry and Meghan: An African Journey.
"In all honesty, I have said for a long time to H - that is what I call him - it's not enough to just survive something, that's not the point of life," she shared. "You have got to thrive. You have got to feel happy, and I think I really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip."
Also, Prince Harry and Meghan let slip they call each other Haz and Meg. In conversation about what the late Queen Elizabeth II gave their son Archie for Christmas, the duke casually referred to Meghan as 'Meg'.
During James Corden's The Late Late Show in February 2021, he said: "Interestingly, my grandmother asked us what Archie wanted for Christmas and Meg said a waffle maker, she sent us a waffle maker for Archie so breakfast now, Meg makes up a beautiful organic mix, in the waffle maker, flip it, out it comes, he loves it. Archie literally wakes up in the morning and says 'waffle'."
Later on in the show, Meghan's adoring name for her husband came to light. As James tried to persuade the couple to move, Meghan referred to her husband as 'Haz'.
She said: "That's wonderful, I think we've done enough moving. Haz, how's your tour of LA going?"
A surprised James quipped: "Haz? I didn't know we were calling you that." To which Harry cheekily responded: "Well, you're not my wife."
© Getty ImagesWhile the couple have fond nicknames for each other, Meghan will always be known as "flower" to her mum Doria Ragland. In her now-closed Instagram account, she used to share many photos of flowers including her favourite peonies.
Once she wrote in a post: "My mum has always called me 'flower'. Nickname since I was a little girl."
Her dad Thomas Markle also has a special name for her. In a sweet Father's Day post from 2016, the former actress thanked her dad for "my work ethic, my love of Busby Berkeley films & club sandwiches, for teaching me the importance of handwritten thank you notes, and for giving me that signature Markle nose."
She signed the post: "I love you xo - Bean."
© Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Prince Harry's friends refer to him as "Spike". The young royal had a Facebook account that used the pseudonym "Spike Wells" for four years until it was shut down because it posed a "security risk".
Also, Harry's friends call him "Potter" as discovered by Canadian journalist Lisa LaFlamme when she met with him at Kensington Palace.
She wrote ahead of the interview that aired: "The title that caught my eye was the same one the Prince's communications director promptly put away - a picture book about Harry Potter. To his friends, 'Potter' is the Prince's nickname but apparently not something Palace PR would want to distract from our interview."
Princess Charlotte
© Getty ImagesDuring a visit to Windsor Park stadium, Princess Kate revealed she called her daughter 'Lottie' instead of 'Charlotte' in conversation with mummy blogger Laura-Ann.
Speaking to Laura-Ann's toddler son, George, Kate said: "Hello, what's your name? Hi George, what a cool name you've got, and you look very smart in your bow tie. It's very nice to meet you."
Revealing their meeting on Instagram Stories, Laura wrote: "So then she asked how old Bertie is, and I said he is four and she said, 'Oh he's the same age as Lottie' – Charlotte, she calls her Lottie!"
Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in June 2021 and the couple revealed in a statement announcing her birth that she would be known as 'Lili'. Her full name pays tribute to the Queen's family nickname 'Lilibet' and Prince Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
© Photo: Getty ImagesAlready Archie has a few different nicknames from his mum and dad. The Duchess of Sussex revealed her sweet nickname for Archie as the family celebrated their son's first birthday on 6 May 2020.
In a touching video, Meghan could be heard calling her little boy "Arch" as she encouraged him to turn the pages of his book Duck! Rabbit!
The Sussexes read to Archie as part of Save the Children's "Save With Stories" campaign to help vulnerable boys and girls during the coronavirus pandemic.
Also, Meghan shared another cute nickname for her son during the Sussexes' tour of Africa. A video from the day revealed Meghan appearing to refer to her son as, "Oh, Bubba!"
The Duchess again appeared to use the nickname in a video shared on Harry and Meghan's Instagram Stories when the family walked to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe.
Princess Beatrice
© GettyPrincess Beatrice has some lovely names she goes by. Among friends and family, she has become known as Bea. However, her younger sister Princess Eugenie appears to have an even more special nickname for her.
To celebrate Beatrice's 31st birthday in August 2019, Eugenie uploaded a carousel of images, including this sweet selfie of the pair on a country walk.
She wrote: "You have been bossing it since before I was born and continue to be the most wonderful person, friend and big sister..." She affectionately concluded the caption: "Happy Birthday to you Beabea!! Xx."
Meanwhile, Beatrice's mum Sarah Ferguson revealed the super cute name she calls her firstborn. Taking to Instagram to mark her daughter's 30th birthday, Sarah wrote: "Happy birthday my Trixie - Belle so proud of you xx."
Princess Eugenie
© Getty ImagesOf course her sister Princess Beatrice has a special name for her sister too. In an interview with British Vogue, Princess Beatrice revealed her nickname for her younger sister Eugenie was "Euge".
She said, "Euge is amazing." Their mother Sarah, Duchess of York, has also been known to call her younger daughter "Eugie".
Queen Elizabeth II
© Photo: Getty ImagesAs a little girl, the late Queen referred to herself as "Tillabet". As she grew up, she became known as "Lilibet" among her family and close friends – and some of them still use the affectionate nickname for the late monarch. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex lovingly chose to name their daughter after her.
