29 July 2023 , 13:31
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Prince William and his wife Catherine share some adorable and saucy nicknames, including one described as a "gentle dig" inspired by Queen Elizabeth II, a royal author has said.
Tom Quinn, author of "Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family", said he was told by palace staff that, just "like all couples", William and Catherine use nicknames to address each other.
The Princess of Wales calls his husband "babe", while the Prince has several nicknames for Kate, including "Babykins" and "Duchess of Doolittle", which according to some reports, is not as cute as it sounds.
The nickname was reportedly inspired by a nudge to what the late Queen used to tell Kate, that she did not have a full-time career before she married William in 2011. In return, the Princess also has comebacks, calling William "Big Willy" and "baldy" due to his lack of hair, while he fusses over her "endless mane of hair".
A source claimed in the book that when William "is cross" with Kate, he calls her "darling" with "signs of annoyance" that can be detected in his tone, reports Cornwall Live.
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While writing his book, which examines the traditional upbringing of the Royal Family, Mr Quinn spoke to palace staff, historical sources and royal insiders. During an interview with Fox News Digital, the author revealed that "it's not all sweetness" and the couple have "terrible rows where they throw things at each other".
He said: "Kate might seem to be a very calm person, and William also. But it's not always true. Because the big stress for William and Kate is that they're constantly surrounded by [palace aides]. It's like a Jane Austen novel." The author added that Catherine is "very much the calm one" while William is "a bit hot-headed" even though he "hates confrontation". Mr Quinn also wrote that the Princess has a "Buddhist calm".
Mr Quinn said that William and his wife want "to be seen as an ordinary couple" that experience "the same stresses of having children, work and everything else that life brings".
He added: "I think they are the first generation that you could almost say they've broken the mold of this very traditional royal upbringing where you basically pay other people to do all the work, and you only see your children for half an hour a day.
"They’ve broken the mold, but not entirely. I think they like the idea that they’ve put out, that they want their children to have a more normal childhood because that goes down well with the public. On one hand, they want to represent this traditional continuity, this glorious world that the rest of us can look up to. But on the other hand, they want to be seen as ordinary people just like the rest of us."
The Prince and Princess of Wales first met while studying at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. They were friends at first, but became a couple in 2002 and their relationship went public in 2004. In 2007, when Kate was 25 and William 24, the couple split before getting back together. William proposed in 2010 and they married the following year.