

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
- Queen Elizabeth's great-grandchildren have an adorable nickname for her: "Gan-Gan."
- Although the nickname has become famous among royal fans as the Cambridge kids' name for the Queen, it was actually coined two generations earlier in the royal family.
- A brochure from Prince Charles' 1969 investiture as the Prince of Wales revealed that Charles came up with the nickname for his own grandmother, Queen Mary.
Queen Elizabeth (opens in new tab) might be "Your Majesty" to most people, but to her great-grandkids, she goes by a much simpler (and more adorable) moniker: Gan-Gan.
Kate Middleton (opens in new tab) shared that adorable tidbit with the world during her first solo interview in 2016, according to The Sun (opens in new tab). At the time, Prince George (opens in new tab) was the only royal kid using the nickname, but his sister, Princess Charlotte (opens in new tab), reportedly uses it now, too.
"George is only two-and-a-half and he calls her 'Gan-Gan,'" Kate explained. "She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we go and stay and that just shows her love for her family."
The nickname's origins go even further back in the royal family's history though. According to Express, the nickname traces its roots back to George's grandpa, Prince Charles (opens in new tab), who came up with the name when he was a kid.
The paper cited a souvenir brochure from Charles' 1969 investiture (opens in new tab) as the Prince of Wales when sharing the story of "Gan-Gan's" origins.
"His mother spent as much time with her son as her duties allowed and part of the day was always devoted to him," the brochure read (opens in new tab). "Often, he was taken to visit Queen Mary—whom he called Gan-Gan—at Marlborough House and the Queen—later known as the Queen Mother—as Buckingham Palace."
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
subscribe here (opens in new tab)
RELATED STORIES

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
How to Wear Chelsea Boots, According to a Stylist
Alexandra Imgruth weighs in on the fall fashion favorite.
By Gabrielle Ulubay
-
Worth It: Tom Ford 004 Ocean Plastic Watch
The luxury timepiece was crafted completely from materials recovered from the ocean.
By Sara Holzman
-
The Best Shaving Creams For A Soothing Shave
Say goodbye to nicks and ingrown hairs.
By Julia Marzovilla
-
Kensington Palace Is a "Glorious Prison" for Prince William and Kate Middleton's Children, Royal Expert Says
They're always being watched there.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Charles Left to Play Polo Just Hours After He and Princess Diana Brought Baby Harry Home
...excuse me, what?
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
'The Crown' Got This Detail From Charles and Diana's Australian Tour Wrong
It makes Prince Charles look worse than he did IRL.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
What Royal Couples' Wedding Cakes Say About Them: Expert
The Sussexes broke away from tradition.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The Crucial Role Camilla's Ex-Husband Played at Charles and Diana's Wedding
Wow...
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry Thought Diana's Family Would See Similarities Between Her and Meghan, But They Didn't: Tom Bower
They even warned him against marrying her, apparently.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The Sussexes Got Into a "Monumental Argument" Over This Royal Snub, Apparently
Oof.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William and Camilla's Daughter Had "Terrible Fights" Over Their Parents' Relationship, Reportedly
It can't have been easy.
By Iris Goldsztajn