Behind the official titles “Prince of Wales“ and “Princess of Wales“, members of the British royal family used far more informal names on staff phones. Prince William was recorded as “Bobcat“, Prince Harry as “Baz“, and Kate Middleton as “Mrs. Bobcat“, says former royal gardener Jack Stucks.
Stucks worked at Highgrove for King Charles III for 21 years. He told GB News that William and Harry gave their phone numbers to staff so they could contact them directly for logistical matters. However, only a limited number of people had access to the contacts.
“We couldn't keep them with their real names, so they had nicknames“, says Stucks.
According to him, the names served as an extra security measure. If an employee's phone was lost or stolen, the record wouldn't immediately show who was behind a given number. Stucks adds that family members regularly change phone numbers, and he no longer has any of them.
Stucks' account also contains a discrepancy regarding William's nickname. He initially listed it as “Bobcat“, but later clarified that, in his memory, the prince was also recorded as “Wombat“ - a name his friends called him. For Harry, the explanation is simpler: “Baz“ was widely used by his circle of friends.
Stucks describes the royal family as heavily using WhatsApp. He says there are groups with friends, as well as a family chat that includes William, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips and the York sisters - Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
“They are very much like any other family when it comes to keeping in touch on the phone,“ he says.
Stucks also portrays William as a polite employer. He claims that the prince would first check if an employee was busy before asking for help, and then often tell him: “You are a legend“.
Other nicknames are revealed by royal commentator Ian Pelham Turner. He claims that during a security incident, William and Kate were referred to as Danny Collins and Daphne Clarke - initials associated with their previous titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Turner also claims that Queen Elizabeth II was referred to as “Sharon“, and Charles and Camilla were referred to as “Fred“ and “Gladys“.