Each year, the Royal Family comes together for Trooping the Colour to mark the monarch’s official birthday, with the grand finale unfolding on the Buckingham Palace balcony as the RAF roars overhead. While senior royals usually command attention, fans are just as captivated by the younger generation—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—whose playful reactions often steal the show.
And during the 2022 celebrations, held as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, one especially sweet moment didn’t go unnoticed.
As Prince George rode in a carriage to Horse Guards Parade alongside his mother, he was seen smiling and waving to the crowds, impeccably dressed in a suit and tie. But it was what came next that truly charmed royal watchers. Turning to Princess Catherine, George affectionately addressed her as “Momma”—a tender detail spotted by a professional lip reader.
The nickname isn’t one-sided, either. Behind palace walls, Kate reportedly has her own playful name for her eldest son and future king: “PG Tips,” a cheeky nod to the famous British tea brand and Prince George’s initials. According to reports, the name is sometimes shortened even further to simply “Tips.”
Nicknames, it seems, are a long-standing royal tradition. The late Prince Philip was famously known as “P.P.” among those closest to him, another reference to his initials. A royal insider once explained that these pet names help soften the famously formal atmosphere of royal life, adding a lighter, more childlike touch to family relationships.
Prince George isn’t the only Wales child with a collection of cute monikers. Princess Charlotte is often called “Lottie” by family and friends, and her parents reportedly also use the French nickname “Mignonette,” meaning “sweet” or “delicate.” Prince Louis has his own heart-melting nickname too—one that Kate accidentally revealed during a rare public appearance in 2023.
While taking part in the Big Help Out at a Scouts hut in Slough, Kate and her children were seen toasting marshmallows and making s’mores. As she gently guided her youngest son, Kate let slip her affectionate name for him, saying: “Pop that on the fire, Lou-bugs.”
From “Momma” to “PG Tips” and “Lou-bugs,” these tiny, intimate moments offer a rare glimpse behind the palace curtain—and show that even the future king grows up in a family full of warmth, teasing, and love.
