Princess Anne reveals her sweet nickname for King Charles

Princess Anne and King Charles have always had a close bond

Princess Anne reveals her sweet nickname for King Charles: Princess Anne, King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Anne has opened up about the sweet name she gives her brother, King Charles, behind closed doors. In a new documentary, the Princess Royal shared that she calls Charles 'Old Bean' as an affectionate nickname.

King Charles and Princess Anne have always had a special bond, especially being so close in age. This was clearly apparent during the King's Coronation in May this year, where Princess Anne featured in the procession as the prestigious 'Gold-Stick-in-Waiting', which is a role historically given to someone entrusted with the safety of the Monarch. 

Charles III: The Coronation Year aired on Boxing Day and gave viewers a candid look at what life was like for the royals in the aftermath of the death of Queen Elizabeth II, during Charles' first year on the throne. 

In one clip of the documentary posted on X (formerly Twitter), Anne can be seen at the King's Coronation entering a room with Prince Charles. 

“Hello, Old Bean,” Anne says jokingly to her older brother. King Charles then responds to the sweet nickname by laughing and kissing her hand.

Fans were moved by the admirable moment between brother and sister, taking to the comments section. One wrote, 'HRH Princess Anne is just cool. 

'She has a way of her own, and it's very committed and apparent in all she does. Elegance to boot, and a dry whit that keeps it real.'

While another said, 'They’re so affectionate and have such fun together. It’s truly heartwarming and so wonderful to catch a glimpse behind the scenes.'


Our King: Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed by Robert Jobson | £9.23 at Amazon
£9.23 at Amazon

Our King: Charles III: The Man and the Monarch Revealed by Robert Jobson | £9.23 at Amazon

Released ahead of His Majesty's coronation, royal author Robert Jobson reflects upon King Charles as both a man and as Britain's monarch. He considers his motivations, driving passions and how his values will go on to influence his approach to his reign.

And another wrote, 'Love her. And her daughter and husband.'

Princess Anne also spoke in a rare interview during the documentary about Queen Consort Camilla's relationship with the throne, revealing, "I’ve known [Camilla] a long time off and on. Her understanding of the role and how much difference it makes to the King has been absolutely outstanding.

"This role is not something that she’d be a natural for but she does it really well. She provides that change of speed and tone, that’s equally important."

Lauren Hughes

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine.