Though the public knew her as Queen Elizabeth II, those within her inner circle were allowed to call her by a much more unusual name—one that was rarely spoken of publicly.

Over the years, the Queen was known by several affectionate nicknames. One of the most well-known was “Lilibet,” a childhood moniker she gave herself when she struggled to pronounce her own name. That name later inspired Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when naming their daughter.

An Uncommon Name Among Trusted Friends

However, among a very select group of friends, Queen Elizabeth was known by an entirely different nickname: “Jemima.” Lady Elizabeth Anson—often called Liza by those close to her—was one of the few who used this name. Liza, who passed away five years ago at the age of 79, had a long-standing bond with the Queen and often spoke about their close relationship.

According to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, Liza once shared a private exchange with her just two weeks before Prince Harry married Meghan Markle. Recalling the conversation, Sally wrote in The Times:

“Liza had just heard from the Queen. ‘Number One Lady – I call her Jemima – says the jury is out on whether she likes Meghan. My Jemima is very worried. Harry is besotted and weak about women. We hope but don’t quite think she is in love. We think she engineered it all.’”