Prince William apparently has a nickname for Princess Charlotte: ‘Mignonette’

charlottegarden1

The Duchess of Cambridge co-designed a garden for the Chelsea Flower Show, haven’t you heard? The hype machine went into overdrive to promote it, and Kate got some of the best “reviews” of her duchess life for the garden. She was clearly proud of it, and she and William clearly wanted the garden to get maximum attention. Which is why they brought their three children to the garden before it opened, and they allowed several videos and photos of the kids in the garden to go online. It was the first time we heard the kids interacting with each other and their parents in any kind of real “event.” We heard Charlotte shout “oh la la” when she saw the small creek, and we also heard her yell a curt “NO!” to her dad’s query about helping George. Charlotte, it seems, is the family dynamo.

It also looks like Princess Charlotte might be her dad’s little doll – in one of the videos Kensington Palace posted, royal fans picked up on a moment where it seemed like William called Charlotte by a special nickname – “Mignonette” – and she answered to it. It’s a French word for sweet, small, delicate or cute. Here’s the video:

I’ve watched this a few times and at first I was like “no, he’s not saying that, he’s saying something else.” But after a few more viewings, I do think he’s calling her Mignonette, and clearly she responds to the name. We also know that Kate calls Charlotte “Lottie.” And Prince George calls himself ARCHIE. I wonder what Lou’s nickname is?

georgegarden1

kategarden1

Photos courtesy of Kensington Palace and Avalon Red.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

177 Responses to “Prince William apparently has a nickname for Princess Charlotte: ‘Mignonette’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Char says:

    Isn’t Princess Mia of Genovia name Amelia Mignonette? :))

    • Sierra says:

      Ohh Princess’s diaries, those were the days..

    • SNAP says:

      Maybe it’s “Minionette”?…sometimes i call my kids “my minions”. I guess the female form would be minionette 😋

      • Janie says:

        “Mignon” is French for “cute,” but the feminine form is “mignonne” not “mignonette.”

        I’ve never heard anyone use “mignonette” to mean a cute girl. I don’t live in France, though, so they might say “mignonette” over there.

        I do know that Mignonette sauce is a thing.

      • PlainJane says:

        Mignonnette means ‘little cutie’.

        Mignonne = cute in the feminine form/ mignon = cute in the masculine form.

        When you add “ette”, you’re making it petite. So mignonnette = little cutie.

        Take notes, there will be a short quiz tomorrow. 🙂

      • sam says:

        “mignonette” also stands for the miniature bottles of alcohol found on airplanes and hotel bars!

      • Lea says:

        I am French and honestly, Mignonette is just a tiny bottle of alcohol too me. It’s true that it basically means « cute little thing » but I don’t think anyone has used this word for that meaning in my country since 1900.
        The way he is saying sounds so posh I just can’t.

      • Arpeggi says:

        My dad used to call me “Camillonette” which sounds exactly like “camionette” aka “truck” in French. Needless to say, I made everyone stop once I learned to speak!

    • Cherie says:

      Mine are Offspring and Squishy from Finding Nemo. They are 22 and 27 and still in my phone under those names and sign cards (to me) that way.

      • Hotsauceinmybag says:

        Aww!!

      • DS9 says:

        Mine are pete and pinky both of which started from Toy Story 2’s Stinky Pete. The youngest is Nonie which is honestly nonsensical and can’t be explained without his actual name and even then, isn’t justified lol.

        I would bet the latter is what Mignonette is, something nonsensical that can’t be well explained but stuck anyway.

        We call him Nonie Balonie, eggs and rigatoni, don’t like macaroni, except when he’s alonie.

        But he does so idk lol

      • holly hobby says:

        I used to call my oldest Bobee (a play on baby). One time, during back to school night, I think he was in third grade, he signed a letter to me as “bobee.” He’s going into high school and he still answers to Bobee.

        Hahah.

      • Snappyfish says:

        Mittens & Kittens

      • AMAyson1977 says:

        Mine are Jbizz (short for J-Bizzle, as his name starts with J) and Pea (short for sweet-pea and peanut) which is odd, because her name starts with A. One of her little friends wrinkled his nose at me and said, “why do you call her ‘pee’?” and I laughed, lol! They are also both “shug”, short for “sugar”, because we live in the south. 😉

      • Lady D says:

        I called my son Rugrat and occasionally just Rug. When they were seven, his friend asked him why I called him Rug and he said, “I don’t know, I think it’s short for rat.” He’s 30 and answers to it still.

    • Rosalee says:

      LOL…he actually said, “ been on here” as he jumped on the swing…but what you think you heard is perfectly lovely, but no just Willy’s accent.

  2. The Dot says:

    I sincerely doubt George refers to himself as Archie. That was one story from a bystander who doesn’t know the kid at all.

    I like Mignonette…so sweet. I don’t hate Lottie but I think it’s a nickname that sounds better with an English accent.

    • Surly Gale says:

      Have to agree; I think ‘Little Lottie” every time I hear Lottie LOL!

    • olive says:

      exactly, the “archie” name could’ve been a name he called himself just that day for some reason, i don’t know, kids are weird, but everyone is running with it as gospel instead of taking it with a grain of salt.

      • oddly says:

        Some thought it might be the security code name used by his minders……
        eg. “Archie, Mignonette and Big Bird are now exiting the gate”.

        As he was speaking to a stranger he might have thought it was clever to disguise himself in the same way his security officers do.

      • North of Boston says:

        A friend’s son went through a phase when he was 4 or 5 ish where if strangers asked him “what’s YOUR name” in that singsongy way adults talk to small children, he would often give a random name. Who knows why. He never referred to himself by those odd names in ‘real life’ just when strangers got too nosy.

        You’re right – kids *are* weird!

  3. Seraphina says:

    It’s a a show. Fake news. Sorry, this did not pull at my heart strings. Just like everyone looks happy and content and living their best life on Facebook.

    All of sudden we are now getting videos of how they interact with their kids. And Wills asking his heir what he thinks of Mums work. Give me a break.

    And how long is this garden show going to milked for?????

    I need a bowl of Frosted Flakes to sweeten me up this morning.

    • Becks1 says:

      I do think a large part of the reason they released the videos of the kids interacting with William was to quell some of the rumors.

      As BayTampaBay would say, “rose who??”

      • Seraphina says:

        Damage control. Is the name of the game. And while I’m sure he loves his kids, because he isn’t void of human emotion, this is all
        Playing out too well to show us what a great family man he is.

      • Becks1 says:

        @seraphina – yup. Sometimes with gossip (and I know I say this a lot) but people forget that several things can be true at once. William can love his kids and they can love him, and this video can STILL be part of damage control.

        This wasn’t a public event where cameras were following the kids, it was a video made by KP and then released. For some reason that distinction matters to me lol.

      • OriginalLala says:

        The kids are totally cute and get them good PR – it’s a win-win for the Cambridges, show off the cuties, get attention for the garden, and put on a happy family face to help calm the rumours. Seraphina tells no lies.

      • Mrs.Krabapple says:

        It worked! Remember how William is a serial cheater, Kate is a passive-aggressive doormat, and how they both never really do any “work”? I’ve forgotten all about that.

      • Megan says:

        Kate helped design a garden for children and let her children play in it. What a g-damn scandal. What dirty deeds they must be covering up. What an obvious attempt to smear the Sussexes.

      • Salvation says:

        Oh please @Megan, I just RME 🙄🙄🙄 at these yr comments. William has NEVER exposed his kids to this much publicity until the Cholmondeley rumors started, NEVER. Now suddenly William the family man is very keen to shove his kids out there, even the 1 year old to all get papped, videoed etc (by the media he’s supposed to loathe so much) and put out there for public consumption? C’mon even Stevie can see this from a mile away. And I have a strong belief the British media have very dirty dirt on William and they’re blackmailing him to give more access to his kids or else they spill. And of course William knows if anyone spill, his image is toast and he risks his marriage being likened to his father and the war of the Waleses so, he giving this much access to save his butt. Also, @Megan yr post is the first and only one to bring the Sussexes into this discussion, I haven’t read anyone else doing so but I guess some people can’t help themselves.

    • The Dot says:

      You sure do need something to sweeten you. I’m not sure three small kids playing in a garden is deserving of all this snark.

      • Seraphina says:

        It’s a gossip site. That’s what gossip is also about: snark

      • Seraphina says:

        The comments were directed at Wills not the kids.

      • The Dot says:

        It was unnecessary and mean, and I think you were hoping more people would jump on the snark-express with you. I won’t. Yes, it’s a work function and they are hoping for good press, but that’s the same for any royal. Let’s stop acting like William and Kate are Satan.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Dot, Cathy Cambridge is absolutely not Satan. I have as much or maybe even more empathy for her as anyone on this blog.

        My jury is still out on Bill Cambridge, if he did cheat on his wife then I have no respect for him taking a chance of putting his kids through what both his parents put him through. If Bill is not cheating then I still have other issues regarding his demeanor. At every official event he always comes off as if he does not want to be there and would rather be in hell. He may not feel this way and if he is just giving off a bad vibe then her needs to get with the program and up his game. Attending and presiding at Official Royal functions is his only job for which he is paid very handsomely.

      • historybuff says:

        BayTampaBay,

        Agreed. Will often looks like he’s thinking, “I canceled that dentist appointment for THIS?” And Kate’s brand is bland, which is fine, and workshy, which isn’t, so it’s fair to point out the excessive hype her every small success generates.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Until I know for a fact that Cathy Cambridge is doing all she can to get out of work to just sit home with the kids and binge watch the DVD box sets of Downton Abbey and Sponge Box Square Pants, I will give her the benefit of the doubt.

        I think there is more going on behind the scenes at KP which is having a negative effect on Mrs. Cambridge.

      • The Dot says:

        It’s not our business to know if William had an affair. It means less than nothing to any of our day to day lives, except maybe the over-invested who do the most to prove that William and Kate are awful people. The affair is, at best, speculation without fact, and at worst, causing damage to a husband, wife, and their three kids. And don’t even get me started on the “Never let the Rose story die” types. Could you imagine if you were Kate, and the world insisted on airing your dirty laundry for sport?

        Second, some people aren’t warm and fuzzy. I’m certainly not. I’m no-nonsense and don’t care to be touched (even for a handshake). I’m not going to change who I am to win the approval of people who, frankly, don’t matter. William is likely the same. It doesn’t make him a terrible person.

      • PleaseAndThankYou says:

        @thedot

        You’re not understanding what @Seraphina is saying, she wasn’t snarky about the children whatsoever. She was (fairly) criticizing the Cambridge’s attempt to use their children and the Chelsea Flower Show for damage control re: William’s affair. She clearly stated that she believes William loves his children; you can use your kids for optics and still love them, the two are not mutually exclusive. And this is CeleBITCHy. Snark is more than allowed, it’s encouraged.

        And it matters if William had an affair when he’s engaging in litigious behavior that ends up spending taxpayer dollars. And because William’s lifestyle is funded by the public. And because he claims that he wants to live a “normal, middle-class life” as a family man, while doing exactly the opposite of that. And because he will one day be the head of the Anglican Church. And because he’s been treating Kate like crap the entire time they’ve been together, and in a fairly public way, often.

    • Ally.M says:

      I thought it was the most natural we’ve ever seen them. Are you suggesting the children are are not being their natural selves and are putting on a ‘show’?

    • Erinn says:

      Yeah it’s absolutely outrageous that the man could ever love his own children. He’s so devoid of any emotions and any humanity that he probably just calls them by the number order in which they were born.

      I mean, come on. EVERY royal puts on a show for the public. It doesn’t mean that they don’t also love their children.

      • Seraphina says:

        I never said he didn’t love his children. All I wrote was that is all show.

      • LORENA says:

        Erinn, FORREALLLL!

        Give me a break, this does not seem show at all. It looks pretty natural and it seems like both Will & Kate are very engaging with their kids. Kids don’t fake that

      • Erinn says:

        But if it’s all show, you’re implying that none of it is genuine. I’m not doubting a lot of what Will does is to improve his image. But I also don’t believe that everything is pure show.

        I think that they are likely becoming less private for a number of reasons. Yes, damage control / PR purposes is one of them. Another I think is that 2/3 kids are at an age where they’re a lot busier and easier to keep under control. They’re starting to understand how to behave in public more and more, and I think they have fun bringing them places. Another reason could be the influence of Meghan – they’re seeing the positive reaction (from the regular folks – racists not included) from how she’s been handling her own PR and they’re loosening up because of it.

        But I do believe that the majority of what they say about and do with their children IS genuine. Sure, they trot out the family photos as distraction and promotion just like any other royal or celebrity for that matter. But I do think they have a pretty healthy family unit for the most part.

        And thinking about the childhood that William had – and his WAS slightly different than Harry’s as the oldest child and heir – he’s trying. He was leaned on more heavily by his mother, and understood more what was going on with the destruction of the marriage. He’s an incredibly flawed person, but I do think he genuinely does care about his children and wants them to have a different experience than he had growing up.

        I don’t know. I just think it’s silly to chalk everything up to show. I think you have parents who deeply love their children, and while they are making conscious choices on what to share – I don’t think it’s like they’re making things up either.

      • Maria says:

        LOL this is the man who went on a vacation with his ex-girlfriend when Kate took Baby George for HIS first vacation

        all he ever does is bitch and moan about parenthood

        I’m sure he cares but I wouldn’t call him a doting parent by any means

      • Maria says:

        I guess we have two Marias. I agree with Erinn. God help the guy who just might love and enjoy his children. This outing looked perfectly natural to me. And as far as William’s so called “affair” is concerned, it’s pure spectaculation at this point.

      • Megan says:

        @Maria (the first one) William went on a weekend hunting trip with a large group of friends, one of whom happened to be a woman with whom he has been friends for decades. If you have proof they were ever romantically involved (something both have denied), please post it here.

    • Aang says:

      Do you think the kids are acting too or just the parents? What is the real dynamic if this is just a show? Seems like pretty standard family at the park to me.

      • Kittycat says:

        Personally I dont understand the Cambridges.

        Years of being private but now they are posting full on videos and pictures of their kids.

      • Mego says:

        It’s not about acting. They are a family. William and Kate love their children. The children seem happy no question.

        Here is the thing:

        It is highly suspect that a couple who for years was uber private and controlling over access to their children is suddenly featuring them in videos for mass public consumption. We are seeing quite a lot of the Cambridge children lately in the wake of Harry and Meghan’s popularity and the Rose Hanbury story and I (and Seraphina) don’t think it’s a coincidence but public relations period.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Mego – exactly!

        Some people forgot to eat their Cheerios this morning and it wasn’t Seraphina. lol.

      • Anitas says:

        @Kittycat and Mego

        Well it’s not exactly a leaked home video is it? This is a public engagement in a non-private setting the likes of which they’ve done with their kids before, on multiple occasions. It’s just that the comments now are particularly cynical, in absence of any actual receipts for the cheating story we have to dig deeper to keep the narrative running.

      • Nic919 says:

        They haven’t done many engagements with the kids at all. They were seen a few times during tours getting off planes but generally the kids have been kept away from the public. The fact that they allowed the kids to be publicly filmed during play and that their conversation could be heard is different and while the kids are having fun, the parents aren’t simply permitting this just because, especially not when William in particular has been notoriously private until now.

      • (TheOG)@Jan90067 says:

        They took the kids to the exhibit, BEFORE IT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, used (in William’s words) a “hidden” videographer to shoot the vids. He said that it was a challenge keeping the videographer unseen so the kids wouldn’t be aware of him, and they could be themselves. Was this PR? SURE it was! It was SUPPOSED to be, to bring more people into the show. Isn’t the purpose of the Royals to BRING ATTENTION to what they’re promoting?

        Also, the kids are older now, and we will see them at a few more things than before. So I, for one, am just going to sit back and enjoy the “Twenty out of 10s” and the “Oooh La Las!” and not delve for “hidden meanings” 😊

      • Hope says:

        Oh, I don’t like that the kids didn’t know they were being filmed. Louis is too young to understand but I bet George and Charlotte have some understanding by now that people pay attention to their family.

        William is obsessed with controlling when and what people can see of him and he shouldn’t have taken that choice away from the two older kids.

        This is kind of icky now. The kids are still sweet but they’re being tricked by their parents so they’ll be more natural and unguarded on camera and that will be released to the world. I don’t like it.

      • olive says:

        agreed @Hope, knowing that the kids didn’t realize they were being filmed makes watching this feel like spying on them.

    • Bella DuPont says:

      Wow, incredibly sweet video, what a treat! 😀😀

      After the sugar rush has died down, I can’t help asking myself what this is in aid of? Will + Kate can barely allow casual pics of themselves or kids without suing and now all of a sudden, we get this?

      Whatever the reason is, it’s clearly war.

    • Mego says:

      I would love to believe in the fairy tale and genuinely hope their marriage is healthy, that William doesn’t cheat, and they stay together because of their children. I am not wishing them ill. Yet I don’t trust them because of their long history of laziness, trying to be normal and promising great things through pr pieces that never materialize. Also William’s reaction to the Rose Hanbury story was over the top enough to make many suspect there was truth to the rumours. So this is my take.

      There is no denying it’s quite a 180 from their attitude and behaviour, say pre Meghan and Archie. Their kids are very sweet and pr gold and suddenly we see much reticence putting them in front of a camera now. My inner cynic says they can milk it for a few years in addition to using rr’s to prop up their image. That way they can phone in a good chunk of their work without having to move from mostly photo op engagements. Although now that the Queen is getting more frail William will find it increasingly difficult to slag off work. I said it and am unapologetically salty about these two and their obvious games.

      #rosewho? #childrenofbrokenbritainwho?

    • Reese. says:

      Try a less crusty cereal
      Love it when people cross the line of what they would say to a persons face and use the excuse it’s a gossip site.
      Yeah that makes it ok to be less
      It’s just gossip so I can be a bioch

    • Beach Dreams says:

      I mean, people can yell at you all they want but you have a good point. It’s not like you were mocking the kids either; it’s just very odd (to put it lightly) that William is doing the same PR display with his kids that he claimed to hate when his parents did it with him and his brother.

      • Becks1 says:

        She does have a good point, and I’m kind of laughing at all the comments implying otherwise. She didn’t say William didn’t love his kids. She said this video is all show, which of course it is, and because of that, she’s not oohing and aahing over it like other people.

      • Nic919 says:

        Can people not hold more than one thought at the same time? The kids can be cute and there also can be motivations as to why the adults allowed this to be filmed. It’s not like the royals never used their kids to create the happy family image before. We can point to the documentary done in the 60s with the Queen and her kids and while it showed cute interactions it was also done purely because of PR.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        @Nic919, That video has never seen the light of day again it its entirety. QEII owns the copyright to that documentary and has refused to allow any re-broadcast whatsoever.

      • Seraphina says:

        @ Becks1, Beach’s dreams and NIN919: EXACTLY THIS. I am in complete agreement with all that has been said.

        I didn’t realize not oooing and AHing over this new very open view into their lives at a staged event would cause such drama.

      • Ceedee says:

        @Becks1, except that aside from saying it’s all for show, Seraphina also said it is “fake news”. So I think people were reacting to that, because what else does fake news mean except that William (and probably Kate too) were just fake acting like doting, loving parents because it will be made public.

      • Seraphina says:

        @CeeDee, fake news meaning this is PR control. The FB analogy, is that I don’t buy all photos that are blessed and sanctioned to be released by Wills and Kate. And after so much scandal, yeah I do have my doubts. How many years has it been they have been married and they have never even held hands and as soon as Harry and Megs do it, I suddenly see them papped holding hands and sharing a tender moment. So call my a cynic. I don’t hide it.

        Good Lord, and for people to get their panties tied up in a bunch over Will and Kate on a gossip site really blows my mind. What happens when these people have discussions with others that run counter to what they believe. Now THAT makes me sad because God forbid we entertain ideas thy run counter to our own.

        As Pierre Abalard said: by doubting we are led to questioning and by questioning we are led to the truth.

    • annan says:

      To those who say: all he ever does is bitch and moan about parenthood.
      I have a 9 month old baby – all I do is moan or make jokes about motherhood and sleep deprivation – but I love my child!

      • Surly Gale says:

        mine’s 35 years old and I’m still bitching and moaning about parenthood (kidding) (well, mostly kidding). I’m also still trying to lose the baby weight!

      • Sharylmj says:

        yup!! all parents bitch and moan at one point or another. I think this video is sweet and the kids seem happy. I think Kate is just super proud of this project and wanted to show it off with her sweet family.

    • Iknow says:

      I don’t think Seraphina is saying the Cambridges and the kids are acting or accusing Will of not loving his kids. I think the point is: we have a family, who have guarded their families privacy, all of a sudden is willing to film themselves in a private moment and air it on the internet. They’ve gone on and gone about how normal they are. as a poster upthread said, two things can be true at the same time: The video is cute and they’re using the cute video with PR motivations. I’m sure the Sussexes will do that too.

    • minx says:

      Uh, “royalty” is ALL for show. It’s all PR 24/7.

      • Nikki says:

        They are human beings. And kids are kids.

      • Nic919 says:

        Exactly. They don’t do engagements just for fun. For the adults there are reasons for everything they make public. The kids are innocent of this, but the adults know what they are doing. I mean already we have the “how dare you attack the kids you monster” being lobbed out as a shield if we dare point out what William and Kate have permitted to be filmed here is not something they have ever allowed before.

    • Flying Fish says:

      I feel the same.

    • Anance says:

      BayTampaBay,

      “I think there is more going on behind the scenes at KP which is having a negative effect on Mrs. Cambridge.”

      Me, too. First Bill gets rid of the Sussexes. It’s not clear if Carole is still living with them and she made sure she was seen with George. Regarding Kate … she is getting thinner and thinner.

  4. Becks1 says:

    Those kids are really freaking cute. I actually think this was a clever way for the Cambridges to let the public see how the kids interact and play without showing them in their own backyard or anything. Good cross between public and private, if that makes sense.

    That said, hopefully the overwhelming coverage of this garden encourages Kate to keep working so we can hear about other stuff she is doing, lol.

    • Bella DuPont says:

      It should hopefully also keep them ahead in numbers on instagram……those pesky Sussexes keep threatening to overtake them and we can’t have that! 😁

      • Ennie says:

        Hahaha! What better way to overcome those threatening 8+ million? Well, the have one cutie patootie, but we have three!
        Showing off the children in a good strategy, even if is against what they’ve claimed, to try to shield them from “work”, including the big wall of trees/ bushes at kensington for privacy.

    • bonobochick says:

      I am curious about DoC’s next big project and her overall work schedule for the rest of the year.

  5. India says:

    No. Just No.

  6. Millennial says:

    Well I think it’s cute. I don’t envy them having to parent three kids in front of the cameras. My 4 year old would be running around screeching “booty booty” in front of everyone, which is the latest thing he picked up at school and we are trying to ignore.

    I do appreciate the fact that their kids are a little bit bratty, too.

    • EMc says:

      Omg, my son says that too!

      • aang says:

        My 5yo nephew says poopy constantly. I bought him a poop emoji headband and he puts it on and sings “I’m a poopoo head”. His mom doesn’t love it but I think it is hilarious.

    • elimaeby says:

      Awww, I remember the “trying to ignore” phase when my niece was little and would come home with ALL KINDS of strange catchphrases. LOL. Little ones are delightful, but so much work.

    • Ellaus says:

      Thank you Millennial! I would have died a little if my child had to photographed and filmed publically at that age. She is 8 now -and great, if I’m allowed to say so- but at 2-3-4 she was…. A Handful…
      I really don’t get the snark. The kids are adorable, and the parents are behaving like a family. Is it for show? Well, yes. After all they are promoting this design for the CFS.

      Are W&K hard workers? Hell no. There is always justified complain about how little effort they put out. Are they doing here what they are supposed to do? Well, yes…

    • Lady D says:

      My son came home from kindergarten and said mom, what’s homo mean. I said it was short for homogenized, the type of milk we drink.

  7. Beli says:

    It’s pretentious af, but that’s the royals for you!

    I’d like to hear more about the designers and workers and gardeners behind the garden, since it’s getting so much press attention. Putting a Chelsea garden together is a LOT of work and there was a whole team on it.

    • OriginalLala says:

      I’d love to hear about the designers and gardeners as well, but when asked about the garden, Kate only gave credit to William and her kids, which I found pretty rude of her.

      • Beli says:

        Really? What did William and the kids do?? (Aside from behave during the photo op, which is of course crucial).

        I somehow missed her actually speaking about the garden, but that’s disappointing. I have a friend who has sculpted for show gardens before and a huge amount of work goes in from a lot of people for every garden. Especially for Chelsea.

      • Lexa says:

        I thought her comment made sense in the context of the conversation and the setting—she was congratulated on her garden and said it was a family effort and that they helped with gathering pieces of it. While the media might be giving Kate sole credit for the garden, I haven’t gotten that impression from her at all. A number of the people who helped build the garden were at the same event with the school children and she thanked them for their work.

      • sp says:

        Kate gave credit to the designers on many occasions, including at the garden opening when they were with her and on KP IG and Twitter.

      • Smalltowngirl says:

        @beli I don’t know what William did, but apparently the moss, twigs and pine cones all came from Ammers Hall and the children helped her collect it in the month before the reveal, which is pretty cute.

    • Surly Gale says:

      And I believe it’s volunteered work…so those two landscape architects would have worked for hours and days w/no pay…so SURELY they deserve credit

      • Ella says:

        It’s not volunteer work. It’s a choice to create a garden for Chelsea, which is a publicity opportunity for both the designers and the RHS. You have to apply to the RHS, who then decide which applicants will get the chance to exhibit, either as a show garden or in the competition.

        The designers (Andree Davis and Adam White) are well known landscape designers, they have a nationally recognised company which will have paid the people who worked on the installation. They have been named in all the CFS materials, and in most of the reputable articles I’ve read – I don’t particularly include the gossipy rubbish from the Mail and the Sun in that, because I don’t expect them to bother with that level of detail.

      • olive says:

        @Ella even the daily mail heavily featured the landscape architects, they were mentioned in all the articles and photos of them and kate looking at the garden were in the DM in the lead up to the show. they weren’t sidelined at all.

  8. aquarius64 says:

    The pr is strong with this one. The Cambridges are trying to outdo the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan’s charity CAMFED won a gold medal for its garden at Chelsea and Meghan and Archie each are honored to have a flower in their names this year. Kate shared a flower with William.

    • Beli says:

      I’d just like to jump on and say the CAMFED garden sounds fantastic and they didn’t even need Harry on their publicity material, whether they were made to remove his image or not. It’s irrigated by solar power and underground reservoirs and this is their blurb:

      “This is a garden that captures the spirit of Africa with its vibrant colours and exotic flavours.

      A representation of female-led, climate-smart agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, it features edible crops, so vital in helping children to thrive. Iron-enriched beans, papaya and banana trees, sweet potatoes and grain crops grow in a landscape of red soil and rocks. At its heart is a rural Zimbabwean classroom, constructed faithfully in rendered concrete blockwork, concrete roof tiles and floors.

      It draws attention to the urgent need to empower and educate young women in some of the world’s poorest communities most affected by climate change. Women produce much of Africa’s food, but struggle to access land, finance or training. When you support the Campaign for Female Education – CAMFED – girls in rural Africa can stay in education, develop thriving agricultural businesses, create jobs, and deliver prosperity.”

      • TheOriginalMia says:

        That’s great! It sounds amazing and will be vital to the community.

      • Lady D says:

        That sounds incredible. With education and nutrition, these women and girls have a chance to thrive and teach. This is the first I’ve heard of this organization. I’m going to go research it some more and I will be donating to them. Thanks for letting me know this, Beli.

    • Aang says:

      Do you keep a notebook filled with ways M&H outdo the Cambridges?

    • Moose says:

      Hadn’t realised H&M charity was at CFS this year too, excellent display and well deserved medal. Has Kate’s garden won any awards?

      • sp says:

        Kate’s garden was the featured RHS garden and thus not eligible for any awards.

    • PrincessK says:

      Yes, I voted for the CAMFED garden, so glad it won!

  9. Starryfish29 says:

    The kids are adorable, it’s just hilarious how quickly the press line about fiercely protecting their children’s privacy disappears. We saw Archie’s feet on Instagram and the press accused his parents of fame-whoring hypocrites about protecting their privacy.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      Right? William has always been adamant about keeping the kids out of the spotlight as much as possible and didn’t want them to have the type of exposure he had at their age. And yet just in the past two months we’ve gotten a ton of pictures of them playing with their cousins and a video of them cavorting in the garden. The latter instance in particular is exactly the kind of thing he’s been so bullish about avoiding, until now.

      • Catherine says:

        They had one camera there, they were promoting mental health: how important it is for kids to get outside. School children were also there with Kate the day before. Also with just one camera. Still promoting Heads Together.

  10. Elisabeth says:

    those are some darling babies. charlotte has boss energy

  11. Cidy says:

    Lordy folks are angry. I think it was cute.

  12. LORENA says:

    I really like this video. Charlotte is THAT kid in her family, you can tell lol

    • Mego says:

      She certainly is the star in that family. Hope she continues to be spirited as she gets older. My daughter is very beautiful and spirited too – she just shines.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Yeah she’s the star of the family – also she’s giving me Princess Anne vibes with her curt ‘no’ to William.

    • PrincessK says:

      @Digital Unicorn, I was also wondering if she will be the Princess Anne of the future, and people will be lamenting that Princess Charlotte would make a better monarch than poor old King George……’eyes roll’

      • Anance says:

        PrincessK,

        The curt “No” was unscripted and we don’t know what it means within the family dynamics. She does seem independent like Princess Anne. It’s just that…

        Even something as innocuous as this contains ‘huh’ moments. I was more troubled by William asking George to rate Mommy’s performance and Kate’s reaction of “Imagine that.”

        Hmmm….

  13. line says:

    Grammatically in French the term “mignonnette” does not mean cute or pretty in French. But designated five things.

    – Small crushed gravel, of very precise granulometry.
    – Usual name common to the reseda, the saxifrage despair-of-the-painter, the carnation mignardise and other small flowers.
    – Coarsely ground pepper.
    – Miniature bottle containing a sample of alcohol.
    – Small bobbin lace, narrow, thin and light, barely decorated.

    The term correct would be “mignonne”

    • Aidevee says:

      I don’t speak brilliant French but I thought it sounded more like Mignoné – am muddled!!

  14. MM says:

    I’ve seen others say he says “Have you been on this yet?”.

    • s says:

      Agreed – he clearly – “Have you been on here” and she answers “yeah.” He speaks quickly but it really is not that hard to hear.

    • olive says:

      exactly, he doesn’t even speak French!!

    • Salvation says:

      Totally agree. I listened to it multiple times and I hear “have you been on it yet”, and I figured he was asking about the swing. I’m baffled.

  15. Jessica says:

    I still think the George/Archie story is strange and more sinister than we will ever know. The coincidence is just too much for me.

    • Maria says:

      Sinister in what way?

      • Jessica says:

        Like Harry probably made it clear to the Cambridges that Archie was a name he liked and was looking at using for a son. Then somehow a story about George calling himself Archie makes it to The Sun of all places. The same paper who broke the Frogmore Cottage story. It’s just too much of a coincidence. The Sun does have some sources at KP and I think H&M are trying to get away from that.

    • Jadedone says:

      Girl you are reaching, you must ne strained

      • Anance says:

        I don’t think Jessica is reaching. There are just so many ‘Huh?’ moments related to the Cambridges.

    • Cherie says:

      Ohhh I think you are on to something. Very early on, they knew it was a boy and told the Cambridge’s (whom they barely speak to of course) the choice of name. In a fit of oneupmanship they coached little George to find a total stranger in the park to say “I’m called Archie” so that…

      • BayTampaBay says:

        And all of this was professionally reported by………….The Daily Fail??? LOL! LOL!

      • Anance says:

        George was being walked by Carole and then he told that to a complete stranger. No pics of this supposed interaction. If this was underhanded, it was done to ridicule the name.

    • Beli says:

      I don’t think it’s sinister. George might have heard the name from someone mentioning it and decided he liked it because kids are odd like that. Or the person might have misheard him say Georgie even. Or the Sun made it all up and accidentally hit on the right name.

      If you mean the Sun got wind that H&M were set on Archie and made up the story to make them look bad… I think they’d be that vicious, but not that clever. They’d be more likely to straight up leak the name and claim that Kate was devastated because she’d had her heart set on Archie for Baby Cambridge #4 and isn’t Meghan a heartless trollop?

      • Lexa says:

        Archie could also be a security name for George that he was meant to give people if they asked for his name. Or he could have tried to rename himself the way I did when I was his age.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Beli, You are so correct! The Dim is not that clever.

      • Anance says:

        Bill isn’t that clever, but the KP PR team is. Perfect way to ridicule the name by contrasting it to the regal George.

        Archie is kinda out there for most people, however, it was probably what the Sussexes liked. If they had wanted to go the upmanship route, they could have named him after a fallen comrade of Harry’s in Afghanistan.

  16. Eyeroll says:

    I don’t get where the conflict is here. These videos are obviously PR. They have a garden and more outdoor play initiative to promote. And that’s what they’re doing. It’s PR plain and simple. I can see how it seems strange that there’s so much content from the kids where there’s been little outside the occasional wedding or Trooping, etc. but they definitely seem to have chosen to bring out the big guns out for this publicity blitz/push. The most likely reason is the garden, but people are free to speculate on other ‘reasons’. There’s nothing wrong with pointing it out. Besides celebrities all over do this everyday and it’s usually for PR, not necessarily just after a scandal, but also to promote a book, movie, company, etc. The Royals doing it isn’t surprising.

  17. Weaver says:

    I wonder what nickname he calls Rose? Rosette, Rosa, rosarita…?

  18. Hermione says:

    The Cambridge kids are adorable. It’s nice to see them playing.

    It does seem as though the hype around Kate’s garden was a bit much. See what a great and marvelous job Kate did on her project. And see how Normal Bill is supporting her. I’m going to throw some shade here, cause it reminds me of Meghan’s cookbook project and how Harry was singled out for supporting her. I guess Kate’s garden was her cookbook moment.

    • Moose says:

      Funny isn’t it…. there’s been soooooo much hype about Kate’s garden and yet quietly, with no publicity and hype and H&M not even promoting it or being there, their CAMFED charity garden up and wins a gold medal…. There is real substance to that charity.

      • Fiffy says:

        I think someone explained on a different thread how Kate’s garden was never eligible for an award anyway

      • PrincessK says:

        The Sussexes have a loyal army of fans, and will throw all their support behind anything associated with them, and that is exactly what happened. Just look at the Baby Shower initiative and the huge boost it gave to charities. The Sussexes are a real inspiration.

  19. Anett says:

    He is the future heir to the throne but he does not speak a foreign language, still he calls his daughter in French. How posh!

  20. MrsDeAndre says:

    Those kids are adorable! But I don’t think he called her that, it was just another dumb post on the Daily Fail…which, for as much as we call it trash on this site, Kaiser seems to just be pulling posts directly from there more and more? I know they get the clicks but damn I don’t like my Meghan safe space just regurgitating and perpetuating their dumb stories and giving them more life. I mean this post is just about W&K and the kids nickname, but it was still a dumb DF post that was pretty quickly debunked by other Brit outlets yesterday and he was just saying something like have you seen the swing yet. So 🙄

  21. xdanix says:

    I don’t get why people are giving out so much that Will and Kate allowed a camera to film the children. When they weren’t doing that people were saying that they should! There’s been comments for years that the public should see the children more, should know them as they grew up the way they knew Will and Harry. Clearly W&K want to give them a more private experience than that, but they were always going to have to loosen the reigns and allow a little bit more access at SOME point, that’s how it works when your kids are royal and in line for the throne. It doesn’t mean they don’t still want to afford them privacy. It means as they go along and raise their kids, they’re working out how to approach the balance of private and public. They’re making it up as they go, and I imagine it will change as they grow and they reach each new stage.

    (Btw, yes, I know all the arguments about how it’s all for PR, all because of Meghan and seeing how people have responded to her, etc. Maybe all of that is also true! It can be all of the things without being terribly sinister on William’s part or anything. The timing certainly lends weight to those theories, but fact remains as much as William and Kate want privacy for their children, they were always going to have start doing this, even a little bit, at some point.)

    • Ceedee says:

      Exactly my sentiments, @Xdanix. It’s a good thing you posted first so I can just post my agreement! Just to add that this way, they are able to control exactly what pictures and videos of their children are shown to the public, as opposed to letting paparazzi have unfettered access to them.

  22. JanetFerber says:

    Naturally the kids are cute and have great relationships with their parents. The fact that William and Kate chose to put this on display is, of course, a shrewd PR move on their parts, for whatever their reasons. I remember before Tiger Woods’ scandal broke, he’d be seen with his kids and tell cute little stories about them. Par for the course (or court).

  23. Peg says:

    CAMFED folks thanked the actual designers of their garden.

    • Ceedee says:

      But the KP Instagram have posted pictures of the 2 landscape architects who worked on the garden with Kate several times? The last one was the day before, if I recall correctly. And Kate also mentioned them in her video (though not by name, I don’t think).

    • sp says:

      Kate thanked her team in front of reporters and also acknowledged their work on KP IG and Twitter. It’s easy enough to find if you want, but here’s an example:

      On May 20th when the schoolchildren visited the garden: “The Duchess also took the opportunity to thank the incredible team of collaborators who have been involved in @The_RHS Back to Nature Garden project. #RHSChelsea”

      Kate’s garden was the RHS’s feature garden and therefore not part of the competition for an award.

      • Leena says:

        Some people just don’t want to find it. They have made up their minds and that is it.

      • Lady D says:

        Didn’t know it wasn’t eligible for an award. It makes me like it more. I should note that I have spent almost my whole life surrounded by exactly that kind of landscape. Huge trees, quiet forests (unless you’re with your Scout pak) small babbling brooks and streams everywhere, moss covered giants that require a ladder to reach the bottom branch, the incredible smell of moss, sun drenched leaves, the smell of the water mixed with the smell of the ferns everywhere, tiny groups of bleeding hearts and wild strawberries that you leave for the small animals and birds, the colours, the bird songs, taking deep breaths… I really love Kate’s garden. It looks like home.

      • Moose says:

        @sp, didn’t know that thanks, that answers my question from above as to whether Kate & team won an award for the garden….

  24. AnnaKist says:

    Their kiddies are very cute. Her shoes are bloody ugly.

  25. Enn says:

    I thought the whole video was adorable, especially George giving his mummy 20 out of 10 for the garden.

    It’s not that deep.

  26. Casey20 says:

    Kate’s Garden al! I can say is “Be Best”……the bar is so low for Kate!!!!

  27. Lexa says:

    I think we’ll (hopefully!) start seeing the kids a bit more now that George and Charlotte are older. I don’t know that it’s completely down to Meghan’s influence, or competition, or what, but I do think at least some of it is tied to the bigger thing we’ve been seeing this year with the Cambridges starting to shift into Prince and Princess of Wales mode.

    I think William is asking her “(Have you) been on it?” But some of the question was cut off by the editing.

    Apparently, at the garden party, Kate told one of the guests that George was upset to leave the show that evening and that she was going to try to take him back one morning before school to see the rest of the gardens. I thought that was really sweet indication of his current personality and interests. He and Charlotte do seem to have a Charles/Anne kind of dynamic.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      Yes it sounds like ‘been on ‘ere’ to me. Plus the correct pronunciation of Mignonette is ‘Min-yuh-net’ and thats not what he said.

  28. Mash says:

    Meghan & Harry: *Lives their best-est lives, deal with no protection from RF regarding racist and classist attacks of the new duchess, constant backstabbing from Harry’s old “aquaintances” and royal cUNtiers* Has Baby

    British Tabloid: Lets go guys “HOW DARE MEGHAN HAVE A BABY” “SHE DATED BEFORE HARRY” etc etc

    Worrisome Will and Keen Kate: *Rushed “candid” family photos that outside the kids lack any real emotion* wonders why nobody outside of classist brits care about them anymore or ever

    clearly I’m over W&K

    • BayTampaBay says:

      After Turnip Toffgate, I am not sure even the classiest Brits care about Bill & Cathy Cambridge anymore.

      • Casey20 says:

        What does Bill call Rose…. My Cherie Amour

      • Leena says:

        @ BTB I doubt very much if the vast majority of Brits have heard of “turnipgate” to be honest. And whether it is true or not, they don’t always believe everything they read in the DF and the Sun!!

    • Linda says:

      @MASH
      I am Nigerian and I happen to care about William and Kate as well as Meghan and Harry thank you very much.

  29. MrsBanjo says:

    Is anyone else ooked out by the fact that the kids didn’t know they were being filmed, or is it just me? That’s so creepy, especially when it was orchestrated by their parents who are always insisting on privacy and going apeshit at the media.

    • RoyalBlue says:

      Yes. I think it is creepy too and really blatant that they are parading the children to give the people a peep at them for Instagram likes. I also think it’s weird how the kids are fawned upon and people expect to get a look to see how they interact. What are they, an experiment?!

  30. Robinda says:

    Everything the Royals do is PR. That’s their job. PR for a charity, PR for The Firm, PR for whatever. Lamenting this visit as just PR is somehow missing that point.

    • maybesono says:

      I which fans of both couple would accept this. Every time we see does people out in public , Meghan Harry , William , Kate and any other member of the royal family is for PR. And if they are see outside of that doing something that is not part of the public image that they have build, then they will fill lawsuit to protect the perfect image that they are selling.

  31. India says:

    Viperette

  32. Chef Grace says:

    I just want to know where Charlotte got oh la la from. Too cute. Of course my son picked up oh f*ck it from me. Not so cute. 😉

  33. M says:

    Guys, he’s saying ”Have you been on here?” but fast and in his posh English accent. It’s not subtitled, but it’s clear if you’re English. This whole Mignonette thing makes no sense.

    Also that garden is gorgeous and the kids are cute. I don’t understand all the Cambridge negativity on here.

  34. A says:

    This is just a really awkward nickname? Like, most nicknames for kids come from somewhere, you know? And they’re sort of snappy and quick, or at least evolve that way from longer nicknames. I honestly can’t think of where this came from?? Even ‘poppet’ makes a little more sense than this. There are better nicknames in French for cute little kids too.

    Whatever said and done about the photo-op, I think it worked on a number of fronts. For one, it brought a lot of publicity to the garden, and by extension, Kate’s work with the folks who did the garden. I think she does care about this whole working for the children of Britain stuff, and I think she cares a great deal about it because she’s more committed to being a parent than most people realize (and more than William, for that matter). If anyone made the decision to include them in the photos, it was her, because William would not have thought to include them or been okay with it, and I think she definitely planned elements of the garden with her kids’ enjoyment in mind. The timing is just coincidental.

  35. Casey20 says:

    William’s my favorite new words “stable genius”

  36. EllenOlenska says:

    I vaguely remembered professor Bhaer in Little Women referring to mingonette as a flower that smelled nice…but it turns out there’s a story about a little girl named mignonette. https://www.heirloomgardener.com/plant-profiles/ornamental/grow-mignonette-zm0z18uzsphe