During all three of the Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancies, there were people who swore up and down that William and Kate would name their first daughter “Diana,” after William’s late mother. While Princess Charlotte does have Diana as a middle name, I never believed that Diana was up for grabs as a first name. That’s a lot of legacy for one baby, and it’s just too much of a life-long comparison. I feel the same way about Prince Harry and Meghan’s baby. I believe it’s going to be a girl. And while Diana might end up as a middle name, I really don’t think they would give their baby girl the first name Diana. But that’s what people think will happen:
Bookmakers have been forced to suspend the market on the gender of Meghan and Harry’s baby after an overwhelming number of bets were placed on the royal couple welcoming a girl. The pregnant duchess, 37, is due to give birth to her first child with Prince Harry in April, but the gender of the baby is not yet known. However over the weekend Betfair received a flurry of activity betting on a baby girl, and were forced to stop taking bets on the sex of the baby.
Additionally they saw the odds of the couple naming their child after Harry’s late mother Diana, who tragically passed away in 1997 aged just 36, rocket to an 8/1 favourite. Betfair Spokesperson Katie Baylis said: ‘We haven’t seen too much betting on this market for a while, but tonight all of a sudden we have seen a flurry of betting activity on the baby to a girl. So much so that we’ve had to suspend the market and stop taking bets on the sex of the baby. If the punters are anything to go by, then we could have a new Princess in a couple of months’ time.’
Speaking about the favourite names, she added: ‘Diana is the 8/1 favourite, with Alice at 13/1 and Grace at 14/1 for the name of child.’
I felt like Alice was on Will & Kate’s shortlist too, especially if Prince Lou had ended up a girl. Prince Lou totally could have been a Princess Alice. And I still believe Will and Kate will have another baby too, so maybe they’re “saving” that name? ROYAL FEUD: Meg and Kate are fighting over baby names!! I also don’t think Grace will happen as a first name, although I love that name. I just think Grace Sussex doesn’t sound great. What other names are on the table? Doria? Rachel, which is Meghan’s first name? I can’t imagine Victoria will be the shortlist. I could see them going slightly unconventional, and then popping Diana on as the middle name. Like, Maisie Diana Elizabeth Sussex. It will depend on whether Harry and Meghan’s kids will get the prince/princess titles too, which isn’t certain.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I don’t care for Alice or Grace Sussex either. Too sibilant. But, please, no Diana as a first name, too heavy a legacy. Something untraditional, though. Davina Sussex, now that has a ring to it!
I don’t like the name Grace with Sussex either, though I’m on the fence about Alice. I would not name the baby directly after Diana, just because there’s so much baggage there. Despite what people are saying, I don’t see them going way out there with the first name. This is the royal family, after all, they’re quite “stuffy” about these things.
I personally like Alexandra…Alexandra Doria (or if they have to, Diana) Sussex. Boom, done. LOL.
Too close to the wreck of the Andrea Doria…
Yes to Alexandra with Alex as a nickname!
Ha Who ARE These People! – thats all I can think with ‘A’ names and Doria as the middle name.
Which of course brings me to Seinfeld…!
I think Victoria or Elizabeth or Alice or Mary if its a girl and possibly Philip or Richard or Arthur or Albert if its a boy. It will certainly not be Diana.
Those kids will be HRH. Maybe not under Elizabeth’s reign, but most definitely under Charles’. I like Victoria Diana, but I’m not sold Diana will actually be one of Baby Sussex’s name. I could see Frances as a nod to Diana. Doria will be honored too.
This is why I was so sure QEII would have issues letters patent to make them prince/princess from the get go. But now I don’t think it’s going to happen since Meghan is so close to her due date (and it was done for Kate with George way before this point in the pregnancy). Also because Edward and Sophie made it clear upon their marriage that their kids wouln’t be styled as such, even though entitled to (and Harry and Meghan did not).
I’m pretty disappointed personally. Especially because if this is what they ultimately want or are fine with (kids being prince/princess)…not to be morbid, but you never know what could happen and Charles could predecease the queen so then Harry’s kids would never automatically be “elevated.” If the Sussexes do not want their kids styled prince/princess, then I think they would have stated this at the time of their marriage, like the Wessexes did.
As for names, I like Alice Frances for a girl and Dorian Charles for a boy, to be called Charlie.
TQ issued the letter patent to ensure the firstborn Cambridge would get the title regardless of gender, especially as it would be the first Royal child to secure heir apparent status *also* regardless of gender. As it stood, only a son would get the style and title. She also made sure all future children would receive the same treatment, which is fair and means a new latter patent would not be needed.
Issuing a LP for Harry’s children would only accelerate their styles and titles by right as soon as they’re the Monarch’s grandchildren through the male line.
Edit to add I love your pick of names. Lady Frances Mountbatten-Windosor/Princess Frances of Sussex/ Frances Sussex sounds lovely!
Why “most definitely” under Charles’ reign? Let’s look at the precedent set for siblings and children of the monarch. Princess Margaret’s 2 children were not made Prince/Princess (they’re currently an Earl and Lady Sarah). Anne’s children are not Prince/Princess. Edward’s children are not Prince/Princess. Only Edward’s girls got the Princess title because he threw a hissy fit and insisted, but I personally believe that set his girls up for a lifetime of confusion. Bea and Eugenie were never going to be working royals and while Meghan and Harry will be working royals for decades until the Cambridge children grow up, their kid(s) will also likely never be working royals. Princess Margaret’s son was 5th in line to the throne when he was born – he’s 20th in line now. I’m certainly not saying that they’re less important as human beings, but I hope Meghan and Harry will be realistic about their kid’s future.
Moral of the story? Don’t be like Andrew. Nobody wants to be like Andrew.
I don’t think they will, but part of me wants it because people would be SO MAD. Hahaha!
Haha yeah, that would make it worth it! I mean, not really (for the kid’s sake), but it would be awesome to see people’s heads explode.
Yes. 😁
If Zara as a name is anything to go by, Harry and Meghan have full range. Only George really needed a traditional name. Charlotte and Louis weren’t high odds either.
Princess Charlotte also has Diana as a middle name. So Id expect similar with this baby if a girl. Or Frances as that’s Dianas middle name and her mom’s name.
Frances would be nice. I really just hope they don’t choose Diana as a first name. There’d be an entire lifetime of comparisons – more so than other namesakes I think because Diana made such an impact and died in such a sad way.
I can see Frances being an option with Elizabeth as a middle name somewhere.
I think Charlotte was sort of a traditional choice. It covered both Charles and Carole and is a royal name.
I was wondering if they’d pick a unique but regal ‘D’ name in tribute to both of their mothers, regardless of the baby’s gender
“Daenerys” ? ;-P
I like Daphne for “D” names.
I totally had a dream that it’s a boy. Idk why I’m even dreaming about this…
Princess Daisy Sussex
One of my cats is a Daisy and it’s basically the best name ever.
Not if Queen E has anything to do with it….which she will
That would be a cruel thing to do to a child, saddling them with the weight of that name. The daughters of Diana’s sons will already be constantly compared to her throughout their lives. Giving one of them her name would make that burden so much heavier.
I think it’s a boy so I vote for Alexander. I can imagine him with blue eyes and curly brownish hair and some freckles lol!
If it’s a girl, I vote Alexandria (yes yes I know) or Victoria.
Not going to happen. I can see Diana or Frances as a middle name though.
No please not Diana.
Harry/ Meghan if you or your friends read any of these mad sites, if it’s a girl Lavinia is a lovely name. Too bad Kate/William took Louis as that’s nice for a boy.
Don’t think they will be HRH and they shouldn’t. William has three kids and only his family will really count from the point of view of the monarchy. Norway has the crown prince and his family being HRH, his sister’s children are not. It’s difficult to justify titles and privileges today, tax payers are just not that keen on having to maintain all these people.
They are already entitled to it once Charles becomes King. It’s been like that for about 70 years. I don’t see it changing.
Hasn’t this been debated hundreds of times? We won’t know until she gives birth so…
Spencer Sussex?
I could definitely see them going with something softer and more modern.
Peter and Autumn (I know they’re not in direct line to the throne) have Savannah and Isla. Beautiful names but not traditional as far as the BRF are concerned. That’s more Harry & Meghan’s speed…
Alexandra!
The latest news is that Harry and Meghan are at the end of the month going off on a three day visit to Morocco. Why so late in her pregnancy would they be taking on this?
I think Diana as a first name is too on the nose. I doubt they’ll go with that. Grace and Alice are both beautiful names. I also love Alexandra or Victoria. Frances would also be cute. I can see them with a Frankie.
I like Maria’s idea of starting the name with a letter D, to honor both Diana and Doria. And that works if it’s a boy too, I feel.
I don’t think The Royals are dumb enough to give the first name as Diana. It’s too much baggage. More likely given as a middle name or use Diana’s middle and last name.
Chiming in from the US with a question. Isn’t there a long list of rules that must be adhered to in naming a Royal baby, such as using previous regnal names or names from the Bible? Would a girl’s name like Rebecca be acceptable? Or Margaret for the Queen’s late sister? Little Maggie or Becky Sussex would be darling to watch as she grew.
I learned on this site that as heir, William has a select list of names to choose from for his offspring. As heir adjacent, Harry has to follow this same list. Eventually George will choose from this list, as will his sister Charlotte as heir adjacent to George. Andrew also chose names from this list as he was heir adjacent to Charles once upon a time.
I don’t know… Zara and her kids have untraditional names. Are Beatrice and Eugenie traditional too? They’re definitely not biblical.
Beatrice was the name of Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter. Eugenie was the middle name of a Queen of Spain (Queen Victoria Eugenie), who was the daughter of the first Princess Beatrice and thus the granddaughter of Queen Victoria. This is all to say that both names have a royal provenance in the BRF, though they are somewhat atypical.
I was told the heir gets a list of names to choose from, period. No deviations, but I don’t know about biblical. The spare to the heir might end up ruler, (just ask QE) therefore must choose from the same list. Andrew would have no choice but to follow this tradition as spare to Charles. William and Harry will do the same, as will George and Charlotte.
I’m going to go with Chloe. Random guess.
I hope they don’t name her Diana, but I also don’t think she’s having a girl this go around tbh. But I wouldn’t mind being wrong.
I highly doubt they’re going to name her Doria or Rachel or any of the rest of it. I think they’ll go with something classic. The most “out there” name I can think of them picking is something like “Zara” or “Mia” if you ask me. Someone in the comments suggested Lavinia, and someone else suggested Frances, and those are absolutely perfect. Perfectly posh, and Frances is a nice way to honour Diana without being too OTT about it all.
I think they’ll have a boy though. If they do, then I can see them naming him Richard, or Henry or David, with maybe Philip or Charles as a middle name somewhere.
I hope if it’s a girl, they won’t girl her Diana. She would never escape the legacy and why would you want to put that on somebody for life.
I agree. And since Charlotte ‘s middle name is Diana, it seems wrong to use it again for such a close relative. I can only imagine the headlines about a family feud about name theft!
Harry shouldn’t name his daughter after his late mother because of what strangers will say yeah totally makes sense.
I hope they are given a bit of flexibility to choose something they like rather than “royal”. I agree with not using Diana as a first name. The pressure that comes with the name would be overwhelming. Using it as a middle name like William and Kate did with Charlotte would be a nice tribute to the late Diana.