Huzzah! There’s a new princess in Kensington Palace. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have already whisked their new daughter home, less than a day after Kate gave birth, and London is set to light up their landmarks pink tonight.
It will likely be a few days before we have an official royal baby name announcement, but we’ve all been speculating wildly for months.
My first thought was that I had nothing new to add. Bookmakers favor Alice or Charlotte.
But I thought it might be fun to take a look at all of the names given to royal princesses, starting with the children of King George III at the end of the eighteenth century. I’ve added in Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, too – because their names are just too great to ignore!
I’ll make my own guess at a name for the new princess at the end of this post.
Alexandrina Victoria – There was much controversy over the future Queen Victoria’s given name. The future George IV was Prince Regent at the time of her birth, and had the right to approve his niece’s name. He rejected Georgina, Augusta, and Charlotte, before finally agreeing to Alexandrina. The name came from one of her godparents, Emperor Alexander I of Russia.
Alice Maud Mary – Queen Victoria’s second daughter.
Amelia – The youngest daughter of King George III.
Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise – The second child and only daughter of the current Queen Elizabeth II. She’s styled the Princess Royal, but chose not to accept titles for own children. Anne has three granddaughters, thanks to her son Peter Phillips, father to Savannah and Isla, and daughter Zara Tindall, mother of Mia.
Augusta Sophia – The second daughter of King George III.
Beatrice Elizabeth Mary – The older daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, born in 1988.
Beatrice Mary Victoria Feodore – The youngest of Queen Victoria’s children.
Charlotte Augusta – The only child of King George IV, Charlotte would have been queen – but she died in childbirth at the age of 21.
Charlotte Augusta Matilda – The eldest daughter of King Charles III, and another Princess Royal.
Elizabeth – George III’s third daughter was Princess Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary – The full name of Queen Elizabeth II.
Eugenie Victoria Helena – The younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, born in 1990.
Louise Caroline Alberta – The fourth of Queen Victoria’s daughters.
Louise Victoria Alexandra Dagmar – King Edward VII, the eldest son of Queen Victoria, had three daughters. Louise was the eldest, and given the title Princess Royal.
Helena Augusta Victoria – The third of Queen Victoria’s daughters.
Margaret Rose – The current queen’s younger sister, Princess Margaret, was born Margaret Rose.
Mary – Another daughter of George III.
Maud Charlotte Victoria Mary – The youngest daughter of King Edward VII, Princess Maud later married the King of Norway.
Sophia Matilda – Another daughter of George III.
Victoria Adelaide Mary Louisa – The eldest of Queen Victoria’s children,
Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary – King George V – the grandfather of the current queen – had five sons and just one daughter. The princess was named in honor of her great-grandmother, the formidable Queen Victoria, but know by the more approachable Mary. Queen Victoria was still alive when Mary was born in 1897 – the year of Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. It’s said that the queen suggested that her granddaughter be named Diamond in honor of the occasion. Just think – it could have changed the course of royal baby naming forever!
Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary – The second daughter of King Edward VII, the princess was known as Toria to friends and family.
And my guess … I’m going to go out on a limb and guess Helena Elizabeth Caroline. Why? Helena is just royal enough – William’s cousin Eugenie has it as a middle, and Queen Victoria had a daughter called Helena. Yes, the odds favor other names, and this is a longshot – but wouldn’t it be lovely if they did choose Helena?
When Charles and Diana welcomed Harry, I remember hearing that they had more freedom to name their second son, since it was less likely that he’d ever be king. Not that Henry Charles Albert David isn’t a completely royal appellation.
As for Elizabeth, word is that the queen doesn’t want a namesake – but wouldn’t it be crazy to not give the long-reigning queen’s name to a great-granddaughter so close in line to throne? (Note: Thanks for the comments! I originally – mistakenly – referred to the new princess as the queen’s first great-granddaughter. Not so!)
I had Diana in the third position for a while, but you know what? I just don’t think Will and Kate court controversy like that. And it might be hurtful to his dad and grandmother, so … no. I don’t think it’s impossible, but I’m going to go with Caroline.
Charlotte is another name I considered for the third spot, but here’s the thing about Charlotte: it was the name of the princess expected to become queen. She died in childbirth, and Queen Victoria took the throne instead. All’s well that ends’ well, but I wonder if Charlotte wouldn’t be perceived as unlucky for a child so high in the line of succession, at least as a first name?
I would probably have added Louise or Alexandra. Royals do repeat names, even among siblings. But somehow that seems like an odd thing to do, at least when you’re only on baby #2, and there are plenty of name possibilities available.
If I were a betting woman, that’s where I’d put my money!
I’m thinking that since Prince George’s middle names are Alexander and Louis, that Alexandra and Louise are really unlikely. I really like your suggestion of Helena!
I thought that too.
My guess is Alice Victoria Rose. Can’t wait to hear what they choose.
I would be shocked if they didn’t use Diana somewhere in the name. It’s William’s dead mother! I can’t imagine why it would “hurt” anyone! Someone’s grandmother’s second cousin, but not the handpicked princess grandmother?
I think I like Charlotte Elizabeth Frances best. I don’t think they can worry about the Charlotte who lived a couple of centuries ago anymore than they worried about mad King George the third when they named their son George. Charlotte would also be a nod to Prince Charles; Elizabeth, for the queen but also Kate’s middle name and I think maybe Kate’s mom’s middle name as well; Frances for William’s mother. But maybe it’s not a good idea to refer to both Charles and Diana in the same child’s name? On second thought I’d put a name that Kate really wants to call her daughter as the first name, Elizabeth as the second (putting her name ahead of Diana’s, so as not to offend the queen), and Frances as the second middle name.
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana! So glad they went with Diana’s first name rather than her middle name Frances, as there was some speculation they might do. Also, I’ve seen no comments that Charlotte was chosen because of Prince Charles (yeah!), And really, this baby’s names may have been chosen just as many of us choose our children’s names, for very special family members:
Charlotte – a nod to Kate’s sister Philippa Charlotta
Elizabeth — Kate’s middle name and also her mother’s middle name, and the queen’s name too by the way
Diana — Will’s beloved mother
I’ve read so many articles about why this name or that name won’t work including the ofttimes front runner Alice, which unfortunately was the name of Edward VII’s long time mistress Alice Kepple, Great grandmother of Prince Charles’ wife Camilla. I thought Alice was perfect until I was reminded of that.
Helena is pretty but with the British pronunciation – – Helen-uh–I don’t think it flows well with Elizabeth. But Helena Frances Elizabeth flows very well, and I personally hope that William will remember his mother by using her middle name Frances as one of his daughter’s middle names.
The new Princess isn’t Elizabeth II’s first great-granddaughter; she already has three — Savannah Phillips, Isla Phillips, and Mia Tindall.
Exactly what I was thinking – – not the first great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, but I hadn’t recalled exactly how many others there are.
Ack! Of course, you’re right …
I just hope they have freedom to name her what they want. I love Caroline, Charlotte, Victoria and Elizabeth; don’t think they will have Diana, but I wish they would have Anna or Francesca (but they probably aren’t British enough)
I’ve been thinking about this all day. I really like your choice of Helena Elizabeth Caroline! That’s gorgeous! I’ve been saying all along that I’d like Alice Elizabeth Victoria, but there are so many options they could use that I’m reconsidering.
I really don’t think they will use Diana in the name either and now that you mentioned the history on Charlotte, I don’t like it as an option anymore.
To go with George, I think something like Matilda Elizabeth Caroline or Helena Frances Mary or Sophia Margaret Anne would all be lovely! Surprise us, Will and Kate! Be bold!
My guess is Margaret Elizabeth Frances or maybe Alice Catherine Dianna.
I don’t think they’re likely to use Margaret as Queen Elizabeth’s sister Margaret is something of a black sheep.
You do realise that the first name of any new royal family member can not be the same as any other living member of the family so your Anne, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Eugenie and Louise are totally irrelevant, the last being so as it is the first name of William’s youngest cousin. Prince Edward’s daughter. Also thinking into the future if George dies without any legitimate -legally recognised as his by marriage- children the new princess would be next inline whether or not William and Kate have a baby boy later on thank to the commonwealth nations changing their royal progenitor law before George was born
But they certainly share and repeat middle names, so it’s worth considering Anne, Beatrice, Elizabeth, Eugenie, and Louise for that reason. Prince Charles is Charles Arthur Philip George, William is William Arthur Philip Louis, Harry is Henry Charles Albert David, and George is George Alexander Louis – more repeats than not.
Fair enough, apologies that doesn’t come through in the non suggestive parts of the article. Also they may decide to honour William and Harry’s former nanny Tiggy -Alexandra Shan- Legge-Bourke, now considering that George’s middle name is Alexander Alexandra is unlikely so my bet would be Shan. Shan does have a French accent over the a which therefore makes it sound more like the Welsh Sian and not Shan as in Shannon.