King Charles Has a Very Unusual Nickname for Queen Camilla — but It Has the Sweetest Meaning
The royal couple has exchanged unusual nicknames for years, but one stands out for its heartfelt meaning.
King Charles has always had a love for different cultures, and it shows in more ways than one. It even carries over into his relationship with Queen Camilla, as he has given her an unusual nickname that shows both his appreciation for other cultures and his romantic side.
Pet names are nothing new in the royal family either. From Queen Elizabeth being known as "Lilibet" to Prince George's playful nickname "PG Tips," the royals have always had fun and affectionate names for one another. In his biography Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth revealed that King Charles sometimes calls Queen Camilla "Mehbooba," a word in Urdu that means "my beloved."
The unusual nickname appears to have been inspired by Charles' years of travelling through South Asia. Urdu is the official language of Pakistan and is also widely spoken in India, a country Charles has long admired and visited 10 times since 1975. His connection to the region goes beyond his royal tours. In 2007, he also founded the British Asian Trust, which supports projects focused on education, healthcare, and improving livelihoods across South Asia.
When the King attended an event for the British Asian Trust in 2022, he referred to Camilla with her pet Urdu name publicly. He said, “I cannot quite believe it is almost two years to the day that both my mehbooba and myself were able to be with all of you.” Even though he loves the language, Charles cannot speak fluent Urdu. But he does have a knack for languages. He is fluent in French, can hold conversations in German and Welsh, and also has some knowledge of Scottish Gaelic and Greek. However, "Mehbooba" is not the only pet name Charles has for Camilla.
Over the years, the couple has also called each other "Fred" and "Gladys." The names come from the classic BBC radio comedy The Goon Show. They also apparently used those names even when they were dating in their twenties. Camilla has another unusual nickname, too. When it seemed she would never become Queen, some of her friends and family started calling her "Lorraine," a play on the French words la reine, meaning "the Queen." According to royal biographer Robert Hardman (via Daily Mail), Camilla always found the joke amusing, even though Charles reportedly did not.
