For centuries, this has been what was done: royalty called their father “dad.”
11-year-old Princess Elizabeth did so adorably when she wrote an account of her 1937 coronation for her parents.
King Charles referred to his father, Prince Philip, as “my dear dad” after his death in 2021, and King Edward VIII used the term to refer to George V.
Now, Prince William’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have called their father ‘Dad’ as they celebrate his 42nd birthday.
The Princess of Wales posted a sweet new portrait of her husband and children jumping in the air, with a caption that reads: “Happy birthday dad, we all love you so much!”
Etiquette expert William Hanson told MailOnline that the use of ‘Dad’ is a ‘class thing’ echoed by members of the aristocracy and upper classes, but added that there may also be an element of tradition behind it. has remained within the Royal Family. .
For centuries, this has been what was done: royalty called their father “dad.” Princess Elizabeth, aged 11, did so adorably when she wrote to her parents after her coronation in 1937.
King Edward VIII always referred to his father George V as “Dad” in his correspondence. In a letter he wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, on the day of his scandalous abdication in 1936, Edward mentioned his late “dad.” Above: The couple in 1904, when Edward was a young naval cadet.
In 1937, Princess Elizabeth referred to her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, as “Mum and Dad” when she wrote them a six-page account of her coronation.
The 11-year-old future Queen wrote in red crayon on the first page, “To Mum and Dad,” and then said on the next line, “In memory of your coronation.”
And he added: “From Lilibet, alone.”
The term love was also used in the other sense.
When Princess Elizabeth and her new husband, Prince Philip, were on their honeymoon in 1947, King George VI referred to himself as her “devoted papa.”
He wrote in a letter: “I have watched you grow up all these years proudly under the guidance of Mom, who, as you know, is in my eyes the most wonderful person in the world, and I know, I can always count on you.” You, and now Philip, to help us in our work… I can see that you are sublimely happy with Philip, which is true, but ‘don’t forget us’ is the wish of your ever-loving and devoted dad.’
Similarly, King Charles often referred to his parents as “mum” and “dad.”
After Prince Philip’s death in April 2021, she told the nation: ‘My dear dad was a very special person who I think, above all, would have been surprised by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him. and from that point of view. “My family is deeply grateful for all of that.”
Now, Prince William’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, have called their father ‘Dad’ as they celebrate his 42nd birthday. The Princess of Wales posted a sweet new portrait of her husband and her children jumping in the air.
The caption read: ‘Happy birthday dad, we all love you so much!’
And after the Queen’s death in September 2022, she used the nicknames for both of her parents.
In a streamed video, she was close to tears as she ended her message by saying: “And to my dear mom, as you begin your last great journey to join my dearly departed dad, I simply want to say this: thank you.”
‘Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years. May “the flights of angels sing to you for your rest.”
Last year, Princess Charlotte showed how she too had embraced royal tradition when she watched her father appear on stage at the Coronation concert in Windsor.
The then eight-year-old girl shouted to her brother, Prince George: ‘Look! There’s dad!’
Mr Hanson said: “It’s a class issue.” But it’s probably also one of those real eccentricities that have evolved over time,” he said.
‘Dad and mom are a little clumsy. We know that the English aristocracy likes names that end in A. Sara, Camila, papa. Basically, mom and dad are a bit ordinary.’
Prince Philip seen with his son, Prince Charles, in 1956 as he prepared to leave for his Commonwealth tour.
For Father’s Day earlier this month, Prince William referred to Charles as “Da.” Sharing a photo of him playing soccer with his father in 1984, he wrote: “Happy Father’s Day, Dad.”
And he added: “Everyone will have grown up hearing it as something perfectly normal.” To be honest, you probably haven’t stopped to think about it.
“The royal family and the English in general are not necessarily the ones advocating change.”
For Father’s Day earlier this month, Prince William referred to Charles as “Da.”
Sharing a photo of him playing football with his father in 1984, he wrote: “Happy Father’s Day, Dad.”
King Edward VIII always referred to his father George V as “Dad” in his correspondence.
In a letter he wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, on the day of her scandalous abdication in 1936, Edward mentioned his late “dad”.
The document was cited by historian Alexander Larman in his 2021 book The Crown in Crisis: Countdown to the Abdication.
Edward said: ‘I loved our last few minutes together and finally being able to incorporate our dear dad into our conversation.
“We were different in many ways and yet you know how devoted I was to him and I cried when you said he was human.”
In attempting to defend the constitutional upheaval he had caused by choosing to renounce the crown in order to marry the divorced Wallis Simpson, Edward once again referred to his father.
He told his mother in the same letter: “It was a very important thing to do, but I know that in the end it will be the best for everyone and Bertie will make a discovery as king and will be able to continue without any displeasure and will discover that I have left the Crown and the Throne as Dad left it at the same high level he has maintained for so many centuries.’
Almost three decades earlier, in November 1910, when Edward had just a few months earlier become heir to the throne following the death of his grandfather, he opened a letter addressed to his father with the words “Dear Dad.”
In 1728, seven-year-old Bonnie Prince Charlie, who tried and failed in his bid for the throne as an adult, referred to his father as “Dad” when writing to him after being scolded for upsetting his mother.
After telling him which newspapers he was reading, he added: “It is much more interesting for me to follow political events now that they have taught me something about the country’s constitution…”
But the use of ‘Dad’ goes back much further than the 20th century.
In 1728, seven-year-old Bonnie Prince Charlie, who tried and failed to take the throne as an adult, referred to her father as “Dad” when writing to him after being scolded for upsetting her mother.
The future royal rebel, grandson of King James II, said: ‘Dear Dad, I thank you very much for your kind letter. I will endeavor to obey you in everything. I will be very obedient to Mum and will not jump too close to her…’