You Won’t Believe How Flirty Prince William’s Nickname from Kate Middleton Is

Think you know the ins and outs of the royal family? Prince William's flirtatious nickname might surprise you.

When it comes to any stage of a relationship, many couples give each other sweet nicknames. Some prefer more common terms of endearment like “babe,” “sweetheart” or “honey,” while others have more intimate nicknames that may sound odd when heard out of context. Especially when you’re a royal couple.

This couldn’t be more true than when we heard Kate Middleton’s nickname for Prince William while they were attending university. Married for more than a decade, with three children, the royal pair have had plenty of fun and adorable nicknames for each other over the years, but this cheeky nickname really stood out.

What is Prince William’s nickname?

According to reporting by the Mirror, the nickname Kate Middleton gave Prince William in university was “Big Willy.” Clever, right?

“Big Willy” is a rare allusion to the royal couple’s affection and a borderline cringe reminder of the couple’s college days. And it definitely isn’t the biggest royal family scandal. However, we think the affectionate pet name shows just how real the royal couple can be. Even if Queen Elizabeth might have some thoughts on how the nickname probably breaks royal etiquette rules.

Unsurprisingly, this nickname has been retired from public life. However, that didn’t stop Prince Harry from poking fun at the nickname in his speech at Kate and William’s wedding. The Daily Star reports that Prince Harry called William the nickname as he “did a ‘high-pitched’ impersonation of his new sister-in-law” in his best man speech.

Prince William has had other nicknames that have stuck, including “wombat,” coined by his mother, Princess Diana. The moniker came about on a trip to Australia when William was a toddler and has stuck with the Prince ever since.

Does Kate Middleton have a nickname?

Prince William isn’t the only royal with a playful nickname or two. Reportedly, William would call Kate “Babykins” and “DoD,” short for “Duchess of Dolittle.” The two also tend to dish it as they can take it. William reportedly fussed “about [Kate’s] endless mane of hair,” so naturally, Kate started calling him “baldy” to put him in his place.

The nicknames are said “with affection usually,” states The Sun, “and there are grains of truth about what one feels about another.” And hey, we’re not complaining about this banter. Hopefully, the nicknames make their way into season 5 of The Crown.

However, these days, the couple sticks to pretty standard pet names in public, like “babe” and “darling.”

What are some other royal nicknames?

While “Big Willy” may have been short-lived, there are royal family nicknames that have stuck for years. According to The Sun, a royal source states: “The royals are not very good at communicating with one another so this is one way around it. Nicknames are a way of taking the family tension out of things.”

One royal-couple nickname that stuck for almost 70 years was the late Prince Philip‘s loving nickname for Queen Elizabeth: “cabbage.” The nickname may seem odd without context, but it actually originates from the French phrase “mon petit chou,” which translates literally to “my little cabbage.” It’s a loving way of saying “my darling.”

Some of Queen Elizabeth’s other nicknames include “Lilibet,” a longtime childhood nickname that has stuck (and that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even named their firstborn daughter after!). More recently, the Queen has been dubbed “gan gan” by Prince George, as he could not pronounce granny or grandmother as a toddler.

Speaking of Prince George, he and Princess Charlotte have given their youngest sibling, Prince Louis, the adorable nickname of “Lou Lou.” And to follow the royal nickname-giving trend, Prince Louis’s siblings have nicknames too. Prince George is allegedly called “PG” and “Tips,” alluding to PG Tips, a popular British tea brand. And Princess Charlotte is lovingly called “Lottie,” a play on the end of her name.

Sources:

  • Mirror: “Kate Middleton’s naughty nickname for Prince William that she can’t use anymore”
  • Daily Star: “Prince Harry’s ‘big Willy’ wedding speech had Kate and William’s guests in stitches”
  • The Sun: “Kate Middleton’s nickname for Prince William is ‘baldy’ while he calls her ‘Duchess of Dolittle’”

Jessica Kaplan
Jessica Kaplan is an assistant editor who has written lifestyle content for Reader’s Digest, Family Handyman and The Healthy. Her expertise includes travel and restaurant news. These days, she creates timely trend content for Taste of Home. When she’s not writing, Jessica is bound to be planning out her next trip, trying out a new coffee spot or listening to a podcast.