20 October 2023 , 14:07
466
0
In relationships, it's very common for couples to come up with cute nicknames for one another, with many people opting for monikers like 'babe', 'baby', or sometimes even 'bae'. And while we hear these all the time, we might not expect to hear these casual terms of endearment coming from members of the Royal Family, who have very different lives than us.
But, it's no secret that the royals are big fans of unusual nicknames, with the late Queen Elizabeth II previously being called Lilibet by her nearest and dearest, and King Charles having been known to refer to Meghan Markle as Tungsten, which is a type of metal.
And Prince William and Kate Middleton are no exception to this, as the pair are thought to have a few different nicknames for each other - including standard romantic ones and then a few that are a little more playful.
The couple are a lot like the rest of us behind closed doors (Getty Images)This little tidbit was shared in Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family, a book by royal biographer Tom Quinn, which tells the story of Britain's most famous family through interviews with staff at the palace as well as royal insiders.
Within the book, Quinn claims that the Princess of Wales, 41, often refers to her husband as 'babe', but she is also thought to poke fun at his hairline, by affectionately calling him 'baldy' as well. And while William, sometimes likes to use the nickname 'Babykins' for Kate, he also reportedly calls her the 'Duchess of Doolittle'.
Kate Middleton swears by £19.99 rosehip oil that helps 'reduce wrinkles & scars'
Royal sources claim that the latter is intended as a 'gentle dig' at his wife and was inspired by his grandmother, the Queen. This is because Her Majesty was thought to be unhappy about Kate not having a career before the two were married in 2011.
And nicknames aren't the only normal relationship experience the couple share, with another royal expert previously claiming that the couple often have "blistering rows" just like any other husband and wife and that they both "give as good as they get". This is according to Robert Jobson, who wrote in his 2022 book, William at 40: The Making of a Modern Monarch, that Kate and William have a very strong partnership and are clearly very in love, but have different approaches when it comes to disagreements.
Jobson claimed that William "is a bit of a shouter" during rows, while Kate is more of a calming presence. A royal aide reportedly told the author: "He [William] can be a bit of a shouter when he loses it. It's fair to say the Duke and Duchess give as good as they get if their disagreement results in raised voices. But they know each other so well, it usually blows over quickly – and she is, on the whole, a major calming influence on him."
The book also details the positive influence Kate has had on William, largely down to her middle-class upbringing, which Jobson claims has helped to keep William grounded. He continued to say: "They've got a solid relationship and she gives him confidence. There is no jealousy, no friction – they are happy for each other's successes."