Why is Prince William M8 in Taylor Swift’s new post?

A new post on Taylor Swift’s Instagram has confused fans after the hugely popular singer named Prince William as “M8.”

Swift is in the middle of her globe-trotting Eras tour and has finally arrived in London, England for an extended stay.

The pop superstar will perform three concerts in London (the first of which was on June 21) before returning to the English capital for five more performances later in the summer.

(The 12 best quotes from Taylor Swift’s lyrics)

Why did Taylor Swift call Prince William M8?

A new Instagram post by singer Taylor Swift has left some social media users confused as to why the pop star uses the word “M8” with reference to the English King Prince William.

The Prince of Wales was photographed on Swift’s Instagram page after her first performance at Wembley Stadium in London. He appeared alongside the singer, her boyfriend, NFL superstar Travis Kelce, and two of his children (Prince George and Princess Charlotte).

The picture was accompanied by a caption from the music megastar that read: “Happy birthday, M8.” This referred to Prince William, who celebrated his 42nd birthday at the concert on June 21:

“Happy birthday, M8! The London shows are off to a great start.”

“M8” is an Internet (or SMS) abbreviation for the British expression “Dude,” which means a good friend.

While this caption may be confusing to some, Swift refers to William and his family as her friends and addresses them in a friendly tone.

Prince William responded to the image with a photo of his own. The Prince and Princess of Wales’ official Instagram page posted a picture of the royals with Swift and took a professionally taken selfie that was posted on the singer’s social channels.

Underneath the photo of the royals was a caption thanking the pop singer: “Thank you Taylor Swift for a great evening!”

After her first performance in London, Swift will continue the extensive European leg of her Eras tour.

She has several more dates in the English capital before heading across the continent, performing in Dublin, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Munich, Warsaw and Vienna. She will then round off Europe with five more shows in London, England.

This comes after nearly 18 months of touring for the artist, who will conclude her Eras tour on December 8th this year in Vancouver, Canada.

For those who cannot attend an Eras tour live, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) is streaming on Disney+.

Read more about Taylor Swift:

Did Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce split? New rumors explained

Full Cast of Taylor Swift vs. Scooter Braun: Bad Blood – Meet the Real People in the New Docuseries (Photos)

Did Taylor Swift’s cat Meredith die? Fan speculation explained

Did Taylor Swift just confirm her role in Deadpool 3 and TTPD?