Royal family’s secret codenames revealed — from Sharon to Unicorn

Many people have heard of Operation London Bridge, the codename given to the plans and protocols in place ahead of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

But even die-hard fans of the royals may not be aware that she was also apparently known as ‘Sharon’ behind closed doors.

Which does slightly make the late head of state sound a bit like a brassy middle-aged woman who runs a florist in a Bedfordshire satellite town.

The royal family, it turns out, has used secret names for decades, partly for security reasons and partly to keep sensitive plans under wraps from prying ears.

According to the appropriately-named royal expert Laura Windsor, the tradition began back when palace switchboard operators manually connected calls.

‘These switchboard operators could listen in on every conversation, so royal code names were used to prevent them from finding out any important news before the royal family did themselves,’ Windsor told Reader’s Digest.

The names stuck even after technology moved on. Windsor says they’re still useful when planning travel or discussing major royal events without attracting attention.

‘Arrangements involving the royals take a long time to unfold, so using code names doesn’t arouse any suspicion,’ she said. ‘In a way, it’s like with actors: when they travel and stay at hotels, they also don’t give their real names.’

The first known royal death codename, ‘Hyde Park Corner’, belonged to King George VI before his death in 1952.

But how about the more recent members of the Royal Family…?

Queen Elizabeth II: London Bridge/Sharon

The death plan for the much-missed former monarch famously operated under the codename London Bridge.

When she died back in 2022, senior figures were informed that ‘London Bridge is down’, triggering a carefully prepared operation that had reportedly existed since as far back as the 1960s.

Windsor believes that the phrase was likely inspired by the famous nursery rhyme and the bridge’s location near Buckingham Palace. But London Bridge wasn’t the only nickname linked to the late Queen.

According to The Sun, members of her security team sometimes referred to her as ‘Sharon’ or simply ‘S’. Prince Philip also reportedly had his own names for her, including ‘Lilibet’ and ‘cabbage’ – which is either deeply affectionate or a sign that 70 years of marriage can make some people go a bit odd.

That said, it’s not the worst thing the Duke of Edinburgh ever called someone.

Prince Philip: Forth Bridge

The Queen’s husband was linked to Operation Forth Bridge after he died in 2021.

The codename referenced the famous Scottish railway bridge and, of course, his title as Duke of Edinburgh, and matched his wife’s bridge-themed moniker.

King Charles III: Menai Bridge/Unicorn

King Charles III already has his own operation name, too. And his is also tied into his (former) title of The Prince of Wales.

In the event of his death, plans known as Operation Menai Bridge would be triggered, referencing the historic Welsh suspension bridge linking Anglesey to the mainland.

The codename became public after Charles briefly disappeared during an avalanche in Switzerland back in 1988, an incident later recreated in The Crown.

During a visit to the United States in 1971, the Secret Service also reportedly nicknamed him ‘unicorn’, after Scotland’s national animal.

Yes, that’s right. The national animal of Scotland is actually the unicorn.

Princess Diana & the Queen Mother: Tay Bridge

The late People’s Princess reportedly shares the codename Tay Bridge with the Queen Mother, although no protocol had been put in place for her tragic passing.

‘Princess Diana died very suddenly,’ Windsor explained. ‘She was so young that nobody thought she would be dying anytime soon, so she had not yet been given her own codename.’

William and Kate: Danny Collins and Daphne Clark

Some of the younger royals have reportedly given much more ordinary aliases.

When William and Kate were still the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, reports claimed they used the names Danny Collins and Daphne Clark, with adorable matching initials.

Windsor believes those names likely changed after the couple became the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Harry and Meghan: David Stevens and Davina Scott

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were also reportedly given matching nicknames – David Stevens and Davina Scott – during their time as working royals.

Since the pair stepped down from royal duties and moved to the US, nobody really knows whether the nicknames still exist.

‘Harry and Meghan’ still do, though. And, given they’re no longer officially working royals, they can probably just use those.