Royal princess: What significance do her names hold?
Fourth in line for the throne, the second royal baby's name pays homage to several of her family members.
Kate Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William smile as they carry their newborn baby princess from The Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, in London Britain's newborn princess has been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana it was announced on Monday May 4.
Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/File
A Kensington Palace spokesperson confirmed Monday that Britain's Prince William his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Born in St. Mary’s Hospital in central London weighing 8 pounds and 3 ounces, Charlotte's official title is ‘Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.’
"You have to remember they are naming the future king or queen,” ABC's royals contributor Victoria Arbiter told E! prior to Prince George’s birth in 2013. “ So you won't want to see something silly ... We will see something traditional ... Will and Kate by nature, are just very traditional.”
Princess Charlotte’s name is clearly a nod to both family and tradition.
Charlotte, a feminized form of the name Charles, is a tribute to the baby's girl's grandfather, Charles, Prince of Wales. Likewise, Elizabeth is a fitting middle name, as her 89-year-old great grandmother Queen Elizabeth II will overtake Queen Victoria as the longest-reining monarch in British history this year. Victoria was queen for 63 years, 7 months, and 2 days.
The baby’s second middle name, Diana, is a tribute to William’s mother, who died in a car crash when he was 15. Baby name speculators were not surprised by this, as William frequently honors his mother's memory – Kate’s engagement ring is Diana’s from her marriage to Charles.
The names honor the Middleton family as well. Catherine's middle name is Elizabeth and her sister Pippa’s is Charlotte.
There is a long history of royal Charlottes in Britain. Queen Charlotte was the wife of King George III, who reigned from 1760-1820, a mother of 15 children, and a great patron of the arts. There have also been several other princess Charlottes throughout history. Notably, Queen Charlotte’s first daughter, born in 1766, also bore the name, and George IV named his only daughter Charlotte in 1796.
Many have been betting on the royal baby’s name for weeks, and bookmakers have paid out $1.5 million to bettors across the UK. While Charlotte has been the favorite since the birth, other hopefuls included Alice, Victoria, Elizabeth, Diana, and Olivia.
Princess Charlotte will be fourth in line for the crown, following her grandfather, Charles, Prince of Wales; her father, William, Duke of Cambridge; and her older brother Prince George of Cambridge.
While Britain has had several queens, a change in the law in 2013 allowed for the throne to pass in order of birth, regardless of gender. Prior to the ruling, sons were preferred as monarchs, and women would be named queen only if there were no male heirs – if Queen Elizabeth II had a younger brother, the crown would have passed to him.