It's not often we hear the royals use nicknames in public, but rare behind-the-scenes footage revealed Princess Anne’s unusual nickname for her brother King Charles - and it reflects their close sibling bond.
Members of the Royal Family tend to have a series of names, from their royal titles, to birth names or maiden names, and then there are their adorable family nicknames they use behind closed doors. We've got to learn about some of the family-given nicknames they use over the years, with the Princess of Wales calling Prince Louis 'Lou-bugs'. And the late Queen Elizabeth going by the childhood moniker, Lilibet, which her husband Prince Philip used to call her and that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle paid tribute to through their own daughters name. However, there are some more unusual nicknames within the family that we can't see any future royal children being called, as is the case with Princess Anne’s nickname for her big brother King Charles.
She was heard using the hilarious and unique nickname in the BBC’s 2023 documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year. As she met with His Majesty back at Buckingham Palace after the magnificent Coronation service, she could be heard greeting him by saying, "Hello, Old Bean," much to the delight of King Charles. The monarch laughed and took his younger sister’s hand and kissed it in greeting.
It might sound unusual to hear him referred to in this way, but Princess Anne’s nickname for King Charles highlights their unique royal relationship and closeness. Speaking recently in an YouTube video episode of The Telegraph’s Royal Insight, the publication’s Royal Editor Hannah Furniss reflected on Princess Anne using the 'Old Bean' nickname and how the senior royal has such a significant bond with the King.
"There was a lovely moment in the documentary recently where we saw her calling Charles 'Old Bean'. They have this very warm relationship and she is probably in a better position than anyone to give him advice, give him a bit of sympathy when he needs it, give him a bit of a pep talk," Hannah claimed. "She understands how the Royal Family works and she has a bit of an eye to the past and to the future."
It's easy to forget given the King and the Princess Royal's immense importance as senior royals that, at the end of the day, they are still just brother and sister. When you think of it like that, the sweet nickname comes as less of a surprise and it's totally understandable that she has such a touching and personal nickname for him. Calling him 'Old Bean' is endearing and perhaps highlights his position as her beloved older brother.
Just under two years apart in age, King Charles and Princess Anne are the oldest of the late Queen Elizabeth’s children. Considering that their younger two siblings are so far apart in age from them, with Prince Andrew being 10 years younger than his sister and Prince Edward being 14 years younger, of course their relationship is 'very close,' says Hannah, as they shared their experience growing up together.
She said, "They’ve grown up together, they spent their childhood together when the Queen and Prince Philip were travelling a lot. They’re very close."
The royal expert also described Princess Anne as a "big part of the royal ecosystem" and explained how her unwavering dedication has meant she’s a real "right-hand woman" to the King.
"Princess Anne is a key part, perhaps the key part, actually, of the wider supporting family who do these day-to-day engagements, travel up and down the country, travel round the Commonwealth, doing the plaque unveiling, the ribbon cutting. She’s also personally to [King] Charles a real sounding-board and a right-hand woman," Hannah declared.
This was reflected literally in the group coronation portrait taken by Hugo Burnand last year. The Princess Royal stood directly next to King Charles on his right side which was possibly a sign of her key position within the Royal Family and His Majesty’s immense trust in her.
