What Does Prince William's Nickname for Princess Charlotte, Mignonette, Mean?

Photograph, Fashion, Suit, Dress, Wedding dress, Formal wear, Gown, Bridal clothing, Ceremony, Event, — (Image credit: DOMINIC LIPINSKI)

In a video from the royal family playing the garden Kate Middleton helped design at the Chelsea Flower Show, Prince William might be calling Charlotte "mignonette."
The word is a version of the French word "cute" but also has a number of sweet connotations, and would be an adorable nickname for the tiny princess.
Kate and William have the cutest nicknames for their kids: Kate calls Charlotte poppet, for example.

Ooooh I love me a good royal nickname! Sharp-eared fans think that they've discovered what William calls Charlotte in a video released by Kensington Palace, which shows the adorable royal family playing in Kate Middleton's Back to Nature Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The exact dialogue goes like this: William says (potentially), "Mignonette?" Charlotte responds with a, "Yea?" William says, "Give me a push!" Charlotte then runs away, proving that you can be the future king of England and you're still just a weirdo dad in the eyes of your children.

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Watch full video here:

Other fans think that he is instead saying, "Have you been on it?" (or, just, "Been on it?"), and she's saying yes. No one's totally sure, and the royals likely wouldn't say, but in my absolutely non-expert opinion it sounds like mignonette to me.

Mignonette as a name or nickname could mean "favorite" or "darling." ("Mignon" means cute, and the addition of "-ette" can mean small, so it literally translates to "little cutie," and also, considering how long ago I took French, the fact I can remember that is a modern-day miracle.) The word can also connote "delicate" or "dainty," which describes the beautiful Charlotte perfectly.

The word could also mean a French sauce or a plant, which...gonna go out on a limb here and say that's not it.

In videos with their kids, we've managed to decipher a few of the nicknames that the proud parents have for their kids, including that Kate calls Charlotte "poppet." Also, Charlotte and George call William "Pops," lol.

Here's the original video:

How many marks out of 🔟for the #RHSChelsea Back to Nature Garden, Prince George? pic.twitter.com/rJ44lUrHzdMay 20, 2019

From what very, very little I remember of the language, that does sound like the right pronunciation? I hope it's true! Of course the royals have cool nicknames for each other in different languages. Also, does it mean Charlotte is learning French??

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.

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