Princess Diana Used to Call Prince Harry "Good King Harry," Royal Commentator Claims
Pretty epic.


If you've read literally even one paragraph of Prince Harry's memoir Spare, you'll know that in private he refers to his brother Prince William as Willy, who in turn calls Harry "Harold."
This has apparently gotten people wondering what other nicknames the royals use for one another behind closed doors, and royal commentator Charles Rae was asked to reveal some of the insight he has about this. TBH, there are some pretty juicy tidbits.
"Both [Princess Diana] and Charles referred to Willam as Wombat when he was much younger. It was given to him by Diana," Rae tells Marie Claire on behalf of Slingo, commenting on the known nicknames for both William and Harry.
"When attending the Chelsea Flower Show in 2016, his wife Catherine was also overheard calling him Babe.
"Diana dubbed Harry GKH (Good King Harry) because she thought he would have been better equipped for the role as a future king. It was also used to make Harry feel that extra special." Wait, whaaat???
Anywho, Rae apparently didn't know about the brothers' nicknames for each other before Spare was published.
"These nicknames are revealed in Spare and are completely new," he says. "Willy is pretty straightforward, but Harold is a mystery as Harry’s correct name is Henry. I suspect it was William just having a little bit of fun with Harry."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Clearly, Rae has never interacted with the contingent of Harry Styles superfans who refer to him as Harold (it's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me).
I'm also kind of obsessed with the wealth of nicknames Queen Elizabeth II was bestowed with throughout her lifetime.
"Prince Philip used to call the Queen Cabbage, while her grandchildren and great grandchildren called her Gan Gan," Rae says.
"For a time she was called Gary by a very young Prince William, as he had difficulty pronouncing grandma.
"The Queen’s pet name was Lilibet and was constantly used by Prince Philip. Of course, Harry and Meghan’s daughter was christened Lilibet in her honor. Lilibet came about because the future Queen could not pronounce her name, Elizabeth."
So good.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
Prince George Had a Six-Word Message for Prince William to Pass Along to a TV Star During a Recent Royal Engagement
The 11-year-old called the star of a popular U.K. series out.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Chase Sui Wonders Channels ‘90s Nostalgia at 'The Studio' Premiere
At 'The Studio' premiere, she channeled Gwyneth Paltrow’s '90s-era style with an archival Prada print once worn by the star.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
Let Krysta Rodriguez Be Your Star
As the Broadway adaptation of the cult TV show 'Smash' opens, the only returning cast member delves into the new show.
By Leigh Scheps Published
-
Prince George Had a Six-Word Message for Prince William to Pass Along to a TV Star During a Recent Royal Engagement
The 11-year-old called the star of a popular U.K. series out.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Why Prince Harry Is So "Torn Apart" Over Resigning From His Charity
The Duke of Sussex co-founded Sentebale in honor of his mother in 2006.
By Lia Beck Published
-
New Prince Archie Photo Proves He Takes After Dad Prince Harry in Two Very Important Ways
Father and son have much more in common than their vibrant red hair.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle Shared a Rare Video Filmed by Prince Harry on Instagram
And she used her nickname for him in the shoutout she wrote in the video's caption.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
The "Impactful" Change Prince William Has Made to Royal Protocol as He "Splits" From King Charles
"It's a model you're likely to see more of," a royal source explained.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why Prince William Decided to Eliminate Queen Elizabeth's "No Selfies" Rule Completely
The Prince of Wales has shattered royal protocol when it comes to taking pictures with fans.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince Harry’s Ex, Cressida Bonas, Is Launching a Podcast and Princess Eugenie Is Already Lined Up as a Guest
Other famous faces in the podcast's launch announcement video include Kate Winslet, Mary Berry, and Camilla Alves McConaughey.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Princess Diana's Wedding Gown Was Inspired by a Supermodel's "Fairytale" Dress—And the Original Is Now on eBay
You'll never believe the price.
By Kristin Contino Published