Duchess Kate covers this week’s issue of Us Weekly, which is a pretty good editorial choice. I’d like to see the breakdown of cover sales, but I suspect that every American tabloid which puts Kate on the cover with a headline involving something about “pregnancy secrets” will probably be a big seller. And Us Weekly actually does have some interesting pieces of info too – and I trust Us Weekly more than the Enquirer, of course. There’s a solid possibility that this stuff is true!
Ever since Kate Middleton dropped a hint that she was expecting a baby girl, people have been speculating which name has been chosen for the new heir to the throne. According to a new report, Kate and her husband Prince William already have their picked her name picked out — but did Diana make the cut?
Kate and William, who have yet to publicly announce the gender of their baby, have referred to the royal baby as their “little grape.” But with increasing speculation that the royal baby is a girl — Kate hinted she was having a daughter on March 5 at an appearance — an insider has revealed the name they have selected!
The name of their little girl will be (drumroll please…)
Elizabeth Diana Carole, in honor of William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth! The middle names will also be in tribute of their parents, William’s late mother Princess Diana, and Kate’s mom Carole. Carole is also the Latin variation of the name Charles, and Elizabeth is Kate’s mom’s middle name!
While many speculated that the couple would name their baby in honor of Princess Diana, Elizabeth resonates with the both William and Kate more, since the name also runs in Kate’s family. Plus, Queen Elizabeth hadn’t been a huge fan of Lady Diana when she was in the royal family — and the royal couple can honor the Queen, since their baby (boy or girl) will be the next heir to the throne.
Queen Elizabeth has welcomed not only the Duchess, but also her parents into the royal family with open arms, and what better way to show respect than with the royal baby carrying her name!
Elizabeth Diana Carole? Isn’t that what I said MONTH AND MONTHS ago? That is such a boring choice. I mean, obviously all three names have significance to William and Kate, but are they seriously not going to mix it up at all? Not even throw in one unexpected name? But… I like the idea of Elizabeth for the first name, mostly because it invites so many nicknames. She can be Liz, Beth, Lizzie, Liza, Betty, Eliza, or the Queen’s own nickname, Lilibet. Lizzie Wales is adorable. Eliza Wales is cute too. And OF COURSE “Carole” was in the mix too. And I’m so happy that they’re not considering Diana for the first name. Please don’t let them use Diana as the first name. That’s too much history and too many expectations to give to a child.
Of course, this could all be moot. It might be a boy because I’m not entirely convinced that Kate “slipped” and insinuated that she’s having a girl. I think a boy’s name will include Phillip, Henry, Michael and Charles, but they might go for a first name that hasn’t been used in a while. Like George, Edward or Arthur. Teddy Wales? How cute is that?
Photos courtesy of WENN.
That’s nice but what will they name the baby?
Hahahaa 🙂
Boring name, boring couple. It fits.
You Kaiser should sue them for stealing your nameage. 🙂
If she’s as far along as they say she is, that baby is no longer a “little grape”. I’m 23 weeks today, and my baby measures over 11 inches long.
it’s just an affectionate nickname, you’re overanalyzing it
Agreed, we referred to our daughter as “poppy” (the size she was when I found out I was pregnant) until she was born. It’s just a pet name (we also didn’t know the sex, so there wasn’t anything more specific to call her).
Maybe the grapes over there in England/ Wales are just really huge….. ha. I think they’re going to surprise everyone and have a Phillip instead of an Elizabeth.
You so called it. I wonder if Harry will let the name/sex slip at some point while being interviewed cause he has to know, right?
harry is going to be the best uncle
Aw cute. And totally not surprised.
Isn’t the royal family suspicious about names, too? Like how boys are never named John because of what’s happened to past King Johns? I might be making that up but I swear I’ve read it somewhere.
Well, Prince Charles won’t be using ‘Charles’ as his name when he becomes King, considering the other two didn’t go down particularly well.
I think it’s a bit of shame really. I like the sound of Charles III.
But you are right that there is a bit of superstition surrounding names.
I’ve never heard this before! What will he be called? Where can I obsessively read about this.. I’m bored at work 🙂
(Ripped from Wikipedia 🙂 )
“There has been speculation as to what regnal name the Prince will choose upon his succession to the throne. If he keeps his current first name, he will be known as Charles III. However, it was reported in 2005 that Charles has suggested he may choose to reign as George VII in honour of his maternal grandfather, and to avoid association with the Stuart kings Charles I (who was beheaded) and Charles II (who was known for his playboy lifestyle), as well as to be sensitive to the memory of Bonnie Prince Charlie, who was called “Charles III” by his supporters. Charles’s office responded that “no decision has been made”.”
So, you never know. We may have a Charles III. But it’s unlikely.
I had no idea! Thanks!
Must be a slow gossip week… I read there was audio of the moment she supposedly started to say ‘daughter’ and after analyzing the audio she didn’t even say anything close to that.
There’s not only audio, there’s even a video of her saying “Is this for us” on the USA Today site
It’s a nice name. Of course, William was going to put Diana in as one of the names. It is his mother’s name, but also carries baggage. I guarantee the tabs are going to call her “little Di” or something close. And this is all assuming it’s a girl.
Who leaked this? I imagine Will’s blood is boiling that this info got out. Is this being leaked to counter the Hillary M quote making papers again?
Apparently the ‘she’s have a girl’ rumour is based on the fact that when she accepted a baby toy she said ‘Thank you, I’ll give it to my d-‘ and stopped herself, everyone thinks she was going to say ‘daughter’. But the speculation was quashed when analysts worked out she was actually going to say ‘dog’ but thought better of it 😉
I figured they would use all those names but find a way to combine them into one…you know, like Reneesme 😉
Elidirole?
Lizanca?
Father of the Bride II? Lol
“Are you telling me I might have a granddaughter name ‘Sophie Zankman’?”
Oh I love those movies. Must rewatch.
LMAO Elidirole! Trend setting name!
I can hardly wait for all the snooty types to sniff, “Carole? How common.”
Well, it has an “-e” on the end so that makes it fancy, right?
baroness,
sorry for being snotty nut it is common and rf will never use just Carole as one of the names. i will put my money on Caroline not just Carole.
+1
+2. Carole prole connotation even in America. Caroline would be a variant of the name with more precedents among then RF.
Notice Carale herself did not choose her own name for her daughters but instead the more upwardly mobile Catherine & Philippa.
I’d use the word trashy, not common.
‘common’ in brit speak means trashy.
@LAK – you Brits sound classier in your insults than us Americans. I’m going to start using ‘common’ in place of ‘trashy’ ;).
I can see that. and I hope they’ll not use victoria as first name
They’ll be breaking laws that Queen Vic set so I dont think Victoria will happen.
Oh please. Like they’d be telling people what names they’re choosing-eye roll. Any way-this is never going to be the name. They’ll stick Diana and Elizabeth in the middle somewhere. It will be some other classic name and Carole will not be in there-way too “common”.
Totally agree that if they are having a girl Diana will figure in the name somehow, somewhere.
I hate to say this because he (and Harry) suffered a terrible loss but I have gotten the feeling that William has been coasting and getting away with things based on the public’s love and admiration of Princess Di.
I see this as a bit of an homage and political because it can ensure the continuation of the monarchy for at least another generation or so. I mean wouldn’t the public love it if Diana’s namesake got to be queen. Revenge beyond the grave?
She/He will have more than 3 names, right? I’m thinking 5ish. And I know Royals don’t have proper last names (hence Will & Harry Wales) but what last name would this baby take? Cambridge?
The baby will be an HRH so the official surname should be Windsor. However they might use Cambridge or Wales (when the time comes) unofficially.
That’s what I thought – no surname on their birth certs, right? I just wondered since Will isn’t “of Wales” but instead “of Cambridge” if for school purposes, etc. their offspring wouldn’t be X Cambridge.
As they have no official surname, William and Harry use Wales as their surname. Harry and Will are known as [insert rank here] Wales and I believe when they were at school, their last names were Wales. They use Wales instead of Windsor as their father is the Prince of Wales. Windsor, or more correctly Mountbatten-Windsor is only for male non-titular royals, someone who doesn’t have a Prince in front of their name.
As Will is next in line to become the Prince of Wales, this is the most likely surname for the kids to use.
William stopped being ‘Wales’ on his marriage. He is now William ‘Cambridge’ due to his receiving a dukedom with a different dominion from Wales.
He doesn’t appear to have made the change over since his uniform still reads ‘Wales’ on it, but i guess it would be too confusing since he will eventually for a period graduate back to Wales when he receives the POW title before graduating ultimately to Monarch.
Therefore, Baby will be x of Cambridge.
To add further confusion, once William becomes POW, baby and any further siblings will drop the of ‘Cambridge’ and graduate to ‘Wales’.
Same situation is going to happen. Probably sooner than we know with Edward since he is destined to graduate to DoE title after current DoE’s death. His kids will change their dominion titles to ‘Edinburgh’ from Wessex/Windsor.
Harry will similarly lose the ‘wales’ when he marries although his new dominion title won’t change and his kids will retain it until death [boys] or marriage[girls]. Pending a review of peerage law that allows girls to inherit titles.
For the record, Royal Family doesn’t have a surname. Their House name is Windsor. For the purposes of legal requirements regarding the use of surnames, they can take Windsor as a surname. For the most part, and certainly for the core members, they tend to use their dominion titles as surnames eg Harry Wales, Beatrice York or Alexander Ulster. In the absence of a dominion title [wider members], and or situations arise that call for a surname, they use Windsor eg Gabrielle Windsor.
The Queen’s direct descendants have amended the Windsor surname as a nod to Philip to Mountbatten-Windsor. They are the only branch of the House that use that as a surname.
LAK, you are an encyclopedia and a wonderful reference for all royal things.
The Elizabeths have had a good run, though I am a little disappointed Diana won’t be first (though I knew deep down that that was NEVER going to happen).
Battenburg is their true surname. Changed to the Anglicised version of Mountbatten during WW1 when the nasty Germans were at war with us.
@Paddy – if we refuse to accept their name change, and be really pedantic about it, then their house name is Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. The Queen’s direct descendants [adding the Philip nod] are therefore Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Battenburg!
@Wendynerd – i am interested in how royals affect society through history, so i read so much about them. I wouldn’t call myself an expert, and there is so much more to know, but sometimes, i do frighten myself at just how much i have retained.
With regards names, i hope they don’t throw in Diana for the simple fact that the child will be held hostage to her namesake, I hope they avoid carol [or any variants] because any Middleton reminders will just make me shudder. And i am sick to death of Elizabeth or Mary. Kate’s middle name is Elizabeth. Our current Queen is also a Mary.
LAK, I LOVE when you are around- my fangirl moment! I really would love someone like you in threads about the Jolie-Pitts, for example! New perspectives for the same old story…
This is very boring. I was hoping for something new.
I get why people are saying “boring,” personally I don’t think their boring names, but what did you expect the future King to name his kid? They were NEVER going to use something that was modern and trendy, it wouldn’t be allowed.
If this name is indeed correct, I’m surprised they are using Elizabeth as a first name as Will’s cousin’s daughter’s middle name is Elizabeth. I know it’s not her first name but I wouldn’t want to use a name that has been given to someone in the same generation.
unless the queen is dead by then, i expect four names for the firstborn and carole isnt making the cut. diana might not even make the cut now that the firstborn will be the future monarch regardless of gender.
frances for her father and charlotte for charles both are more likely to appear
The least the tabloid could do was use a more recent picture of them!
LOL – Yeah, I’m sick to the back teeth of this picture myself, but on this site, you are probably in the minority if you don’t trust a (ahem!) stellar publication like US Weekly.
Eh…I don’t know. i think the whole “I’ll take this for my d–” thing was a red herring. I watched the clip and it doesn’t sound as if she said anything remotely close to that.
But if Elizabeth/Diana/Carole are all names in the mix then Elizabeth is by far the best name for a future queen. Queen Diana would be too fraught. And Queen Carole? Ha!
Of course by the time Queen Diana came to the throne – if there is a throne for her to come to – everyone who was an actual in-time Diana fan will be dead, as well as the vast majority of people who ever knew her. So maybe not so fraught.
Don’t believe it.
The name itself does have a lovely ring to it-and I’m particularly partial to “Lizzie”-but for the love if GOD, how many “Queen Elizabeth’s” does that family need?! I mean, not even a SINGLE original name for the kid; one priorly un-used by the royal family?? Ugh.
Side note: If Kate does have a boy (which, I mean, idk, I’ve kind of always felt that their 1st would be a girl), I love the name Theodore aka “Teddy” Wales!! It works for a baby or an adult, is still sophisticated and “fancy” enough sounding for the Windsors and most importantly would be something NEW around there 😀
They are incredibly wedded to the same small set of names.
I am an oldster, and I remember when William was born. They ended up taking him home from the hospital unnamed because Diana was adamant about naming him William – and that was considered different enough to cause consternation in the family.
So, yeah, you’re not going to see anything too out there.
That is surprising as There were four previous King Williams. In terms of unusual names I’ve always thought “Arthur” was a bit odd, used as a middle for both Charles and I think William. I guess it harks back to the mythical King Arthur but there haven’t been kings or lots of princes or royal dukes named Arthur.
William was named after his uncle William of Gloucester who was Charles’s favourite uncle after Dickie Mountbatten.
Diana wanted to give him a completely different non royal traditions name.
On a different note, Harry is also named after William of Gloucester although he was given William’s second name.
@LAK, That’s really nice to hear that Charles was close to his Uncle William. I have always liked the Gloucesters, particularly Princess Alice. Looked all over for a biography of her, finally found one on Amazon but it was out of print. I’ve heard she had a really interesting life before marriage — apparently quite the independent traveler before that was common for single women. I like Richard also, seems like basically a normal guy with a normal family. And since I’m on the subject, do you know if it’s true that the Queen Mother did not care for Alice because Alice was the daughter of a Scottish duke and Elizabeth was the daughter of an earl? I read that somewhere but have no idea if there is any truth to it. Kind of hope so, though, because I’ve always thought that the Queen Mother, bless her soul, could be a sugary sweet hypocritical piece of work.
Ah, so that was it. I thought it was William she was holding out for. I wonder what she wanted to name him: Dustin or Austin or Jeremy or whatever was trendy in 1982?
I just remember Diana and Charles taking the un-named baby home and it all being quite the talk of the (much smaller) gossip world back then.
Princess Alice was amazing.
I heard that rumour about QM when i was growing up, but i haven’t been able to verify it in all my current research. it’s so frustrating that the QM has been so thoroughly white washed by her biographers, including the unofficial ones.
However, you do find glimpses of the these less than stellar qualities in biographies of random people eg Diana Mosley, so i am hoping i will be able to find out for sure that way. that’s not to say that i am looking for people that are deliberately trying to trash her, just a more balanced view of her.
@LAK ha ha I guess Prince Dickie was a nonstarter.
@Boredsuburbanhousewife – Dickie was only a family nickname rather than his actual name.
it would be so funny if they did call their child that. for real as opposed to a nickname.
LAK, Exactly! A balanced view of the Queen Mother would be a novelty. Just please no more 700 page saccharine offerings from William Shawcross. I wasted a hell of a lot of time on that one.
@ Suze, i remeber reading somewhere at the time of William’s birth, Diana was holding out for John, after her father but was told that name had unfortunate connotations and could not be used. I also have a vague recollection of a head line in the Australian press that was Oliver being considered.
VICTORIA DIANA ELIZABETH CAROLE!
As much as i think Queen Victoria was a bad queen, her namesake CP Victoria has been a good royal, so i vote for Victoria too.
Somewhere I read that Victoria didn’t want any other Queen to be named after herself so if that’s true, Victoria is out of the question.
Personally, I would like Charlotte.
My money is on one of these (or some combination)
Elizabeth – Lizzie
Margaret – “May”
Mary – also could have a “May” nick name
Victoria……
If you read through the names of Queen Consorts or Queens for past 200 years this seems about right. Charlotte would have been an option but that’s taken by the Monegasques.
Louise is taken by the Wessex schlumps
I see Diana incorporated in the name of a future off spring.
Another Queen Elizabeth? Blech! The first female to inherit the English throne whether she has a younger brother or not should have a more interesting name than Queen Elizabeth III. I suggest Vivienne, Shiloh, or Zahara
Another Queen Elizabeth?! The first female to inherit the English throne whether she has a younger brother or not should have a more interesting name than Queen Elizabeth III. I suggest Vivienne, Shiloh, or Zahara