Louis Arthur Charles
His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
More from the Telegraph:
'The names honour both the Prince's grandfather, Prince Charles, and Louis Mountbatten, the Duke of Edinburgh's mentor who was killed by an IRA bomb in 1979.
Prince George and Prince William both have Louis as middle names, with the announcement confounding bookies and experts who had believed it would not be repeated for the third baby Cambridge.
Arthur had been the favourite predicted first name, eventually announced as a middle name. It is also one of the Duke of Cambridge's own middle names.'
Mountbbatten was a British naval officer and statesman, an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and second cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II. During the Second World War, he was Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command. He was the last Viceroy of India (1947) and the first Governor-General of independent India (1947–48). He was instrumental in the relationship between the Queen and Prince Philip. He has been described as the "supreme operator" within royal circles. Louis Mountbatten was also a strong influence in the upbringing of his grand-nephew, Charles, Prince of Wales, and later as a mentor – "Honorary Grandfather" and "Honorary Grandson", they fondly called each other according to the Jonathan Dimbleby biography of the Prince. In 1979, Mountbatten, his grandson Nicholas, and two others were killed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army, which had placed a bomb in his fishing boat, Shadow V, in Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland. As noted above, Prince George and Prince William both have Louis in their middle names.
More on the history of the name:
'French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of LUDWIG. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places. Apart from royalty, this name was only moderately popular in France during the Middle Ages. After the French Revolution, when Louis XVI was guillotined, it became less common.'
William and Kate certainly looked to royal family names for their choices. Both William and Charles have the middle name Arthur as did the Queen's father King George VI. It was hotly tipped by bookies as a frontrunner in recent months. Lady Sarah Chatto, the Queen's niece has a son named Arthur too. And of course Charles honours William's father.
People reports:
'Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, says using the same name across the immediate family isn’t unusual. In fact, Queen Victoria incorporated the name Albert (the name of her beloved husband, Prince Albert) in all of her sons’ names. Victoria’s grandson, George V, even incorporated it into his three sons’ names.
“While she was alive, Queen Victoria wanted all her male descendants to have Albert included in their boys’ names,” Little tells PEOPLE. “Using Louis twice would have been the couple’s choice — they clearly regard it as a nice name.” Little adds, “Louis is obviously a favorite name and an indirect nod to the Duke of Edinburgh and his side of the family. I did think that Philip might have appeared in there somewhere.”
The names Michael and James (for Kate’s father and brother, respectively) were also highly speculated, but in the end, Will and Kate didn’t choose a name from the Middleton family.
“It is intriguing that there isn’t a Middleton name. You can understand a ‘royal’ name being used for the first son, but there was no pressure for the second son to have a purely royal name,” Little says. “If Kate had felt it was what she wanted she would have gotten it, but clearly she didn’t think Michael or James worked.”
The Duke and Duchess left St Mary's Hospital on Monday evening with their bundle of joy and returned to Kensington Palace.
The Palace said William would be spending the next few weeks focusing on his family, however in an unexpected engagement, he joined Prince Harry and Meghan for the annual Anzac Day service of commemoration and thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday morning. Of course, he was quizzed immediately upon arrival about the name the little prince. William was told by Alexander Downer, the Australian High Commissioner, that he favoured his own Christian name as a frontrunner for the Prince. The Duke replied: "Funny you should say that... It's a good name." The Dean of Westminster turned to Sir Jerry Mateparae, New Zealand High Commissioner to the UK and said: "Jerry would like it to be Jerry." William smiled and replied: "Jerry's a strong name." William added, everyone is "in good form, luckily. Sleeping is going reasonably well so far, so he's behaving himself, which is good".
Prince William confirms Kate and new baby boy are "very well" while attending Thanksgiving service for #ANZACDay. The Duke of Cambridge was joined by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. pic.twitter.com/HFufwybfP8— On Demand News (@ODN) April 25, 2018
Last night, he joined Harry to officially open the Greenhouse Centre which will provide sport, coaching and social facilities for young people in the surrounding community. As he entered the door he was asked by the gathered reporters about the name and said "we're working on it". He also discussed news he will be Harry's best man and jokingly said "revenge is sweet".
Prince William tells @SkyRhiannon "revenge is sweet" when asked about being Prince Harry's best man #RoyalWedding 💍 pic.twitter.com/YHESeqRvn6— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 27, 2018
Joe Little shared this photo of Kensington Palace in the spring sunshine. With George at school, the family will remain in London for the time being. It's thought they will continue to spend most weekends and school holidays at their Norfolk country home, Anmer Hall.
KP has been a hive of activity throughout the week. The Middleton family have been visiting regularly. Carole is very much on hand at the moment and was photographed returning to KP on Wednesday with George after collecting him from Thomas's Battersea.
Pippa, who is expecting her first child, spent two hours at the Palace earlier this week. The Mail reports Michael has also met his third grandchild and James Middleton was seen departing too. Harry and Meghan also popped in to meet the baby.
A statement from Prince Charles with a nice spot of humour.
The Westminster Abbey bell rang a full peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal to celebrate the new arrival.
A statement from Prince Charles with a nice spot of humour.
The Westminster Abbey bell rang a full peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal to celebrate the new arrival.
The Abbey bell ringers are ringing a full peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal to celebrate the birth of The Duke and The Duchess of Cambridge’s third child yesterday #royalbaby pic.twitter.com/TVtNgBjeah— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) April 24, 2018
And there was a gun salute for the new prince.
Gun salute takes place in London for new prince https://t.co/g5AEWrmRec pic.twitter.com/dBoijinHBe— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 24, 2018
For those considering sending gifts to mark the occasion, William and Kate have asked well-wishers to consider donating to their chosen charity Evelina London.
The Palace statement:
'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are extremely grateful for the support and goodwill being expressed at this happy time.
"However, Their Royal Highnesses do not wish to encourage the sending of gifts to them on this occasion, and feel that any generosity of spirit felt by individuals should be directed to those more in need.
"As such, they would be grateful if people wishing to give gifts look to provide their support in one of two ways"
"By donating to a children’s charity which is local to them (i.e. to the gift giver) as a way of marking the birth of Their Royal Highnesses' third child; or, alternatively, by donating to Evelina London Children's Hospital .'
The Duchess visited Evelina in February to officially launch the Nursing Now campaign. During the engagement, she visited Snow Leopard ward at St Thomas's Hospital, where she saw first-hand the expertise and dedication of nurses as they care for children. The ward cares for children who need help breathing to stay alive. The nurse-led team train carers and relatives on how to use a child’s ventilation equipment to prepare them for going home.
Prince William visited the hospital in January. All donations will go towards improving care for sick children - from life-saving research and the latest medical equipment, to innovative community services and the little things that help make a stay in hospital less scary for young people. Click here if you would like to donate.
Several of you have been in touch asking how the name is pronounced; it's the French pronunciation, 'LU-EE'. What do you think of the royal baby's name? Did William and Kate choose any of your name predictions? I wasn't expecting Louis at all, and despite all the speculation, William and Kate managed to surprise us. I was surprised not see a Middleton family name like Peter, Michael or Francis incorporated, and many also expected to see Philip in there. It's a beautiful name steeped in royal history though, and I very much look forward to seeing Prince Louis with his brother and sister in the years ahead :)
Very regal and unexpected so nice surprise
ReplyDeleteWell, we can't win them all. Not a name I love, although, I do like the Arthur and Charles part. But Mountbatten would be pleased.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I thought! Mountbatten is doing a jig in his grave! lol :)
DeleteGoing to be honest, I didn't see that combination coming. It's not a bad name just not what I expected.
ReplyDeleteMe either Courtney. I thought the name would be Alexander Philip Louis.
DeleteWell, it is a very popular name at the moment. I do think they could have called George Alexander Philip, if they liked Louis well enough to use it as a first name this time. Am guessing Harry will use Philip, then.
ReplyDeleteI do think they should have named him for Michael rather than Charles, he already has Charlotte. Louis Arthur Michael would have been cute. But it is a stylish name for sure - can quite imagine Prince Louis the wild one of the bunch, further down the line. 😉
While the Middletons I sense aren't the type to Need a name in there...... I do think this is something that will mean a great deal to Charles. The Middletons have a part of their grandchildren's lives that Charles simply doesn't, even just logistically. It's a nice nod, while I didn't see it coming for sure!
DeleteHuh, I did NOT see that one coming! Nice to know the name now! It will have to land a bit but I think I like it! Either way, it's not me who has to like it! :P George, Charlotte & Louis. Yeah, I think that will work! Welcome little Prince Louis!!
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I think your response is quiet popular. I typed almost the exact same wording in my comment below. I like you phrase "It will have to land a bit", an additional perfect phrase & sentiment. :)
DeleteYep i love the name ..
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update, Charlotte! I’m sorry to say...but I’m a little disappointed! I like Arthur & Charles...but I thought as Louis was used for one of George’s names, it wouldn’t be used again. I hope I’m not being pedantic! Louis is a lovely name & it suits the wee boy...I was hoping Philip would be honoured in one of the names. I’m just glad the wait is over & we can finally give a name to the face! ;)
ReplyDeleteI can see Philip being touched & maybe having preferred his Uncle Louis was honored (& Philip's Mother was a Mountbatten)...... especially since they lost the battle to have his children take his last name "Mountbatten" in lieu of Windsor, back in the beginning. Louis Mountbatten was set that when Elizabeth took the throne, that as in the past, the House would change to her married name.... thus going from The House of Windsor to The House of Mountbatten! (A daughter & granddaughter of Queen Victoria's married Mountbattens). But alas for Prince Philip & Lord Mountbatten, it was not to be. The House remained Windsor. It wasn't until after I believe Andrew's birth, that The Queen decided that all children & descendants not in the family inheriting the Throne... would be henceforth known as Windsor-Mountbatten. So this choice has lots of off nods to Philip. :)
Delete🌸 Becca. To me, yours is the most plausible explanation so far. Who knows though, lol.
DeleteThe politics of the name could be complicated and far reaching or maybe, for some reason, they just like the name. Or perhaps they were so overwhelmed at just having had a new baby that they weren’t thinking clearly.
Becca, the family name for those not with a royal title is Mountbatten-Windsor. Mountbatten is an anglicised version of Battenberg - Louis was born Prince Louis of Battenberg but was one of several royal relatives to give up German titles in 1917. Prince Philip's mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg until her marriage.
DeleteThe last name is Mountbatten-Windsor.
DeleteA French name for a son born on St George's day? Sorry, each to their own but I just don't like it.
ReplyDelete🌸 11:44. I never thought of that. hmmm. I wonder if William and Kate did. Honestly, I can’t believe they named him Louis, lol. What were they thinking? lol
DeleteObviously, Louis is turning out not to be a real favorite so you are not alone in your disappointment. (Maybe they will call him Arthur or Charles, or better still, Phillip Michael. Doesn’t Phillip Michael have a nice ring to it? I am doing my best to “plant” that seed, lol.) 😉
Louis got the chuckle from me as well ;-) I dont quite like the name either, despite all their best intentions to keep it historic and all that. I wished there was Peter somewhere im that name, Oh well:-/
DeleteWell. I was way off in assuming they would not give their son a name that one of their other kids already had!
ReplyDeleteI think everyone was. Likely even the bookies! I wonder how many bets were placed on Louis?
DeleteI love it. Just surprised a bit as everyone else. I'm disappointed Michael wasn't one of the names. I really Kate's father should have been honored this time. After all, Charles was honored with Charlotte's name. But I suppose, now they had the chance to use the actual name Charles, they felt they should. Maybe Michael isn't "regal" enough.
ReplyDeletePam, I had the same thought that perhaps Michael isn't "regal" enough. I suppose though that if they'd really wanted it, they would have and could have chosen it. I'm curious to know if it was discussed at all.
DeleteThe Queen's cousin is a Prince Michael but he's much lower in the line of succession. But perhaps for someone as close as this baby, although he likely never will be King, he's part of the immediate family in the line of succession...so Michael's not regal enough, even as a second or third name.
DeleteThere is a Prince Michael, so it isn't unheard of in the BRF.
Delete🌸 Again, my take on that is this, if Kate is regal enough to be Queen (and that she is) then her father’s name is regal enough for her baby, yeh?
DeleteDoes that make sense? :) And again, consider the name of the mighty Angel Michael. That’s Regal. :)
Maybe the Kent’s have soured the name a little
DeleteMichelle, I was thinking that also!
DeleteI like that almost no one got it right for some reason! Nice surprise :) I'm sure Prince Philip and Prince Charles are very very touched. I am surprised Philip or Michael is not in any of their children's name. Although I like Arthur, now I wish it had been replaced with Philip or Michael. But, he's not my baby, is he? Lol
ReplyDeleteI also like how they seem to try to use family to help when possible (rather than the nanny although I'm sure Nanny Maria is like family at this point) with Granny Carole picking him up from school. These last few days I've imagined William taking them to school and picking them up with Kate getting some help here and there from mum - like a typical family.
Welcome, Prince Louis! We love you as much as people who won't really ever know you possibly can. :)
George, Charlotte, Louis - a very royal sounding trio.
I’m sure Nanny Maria is busy with Prince Louis, but since Carole is the only blood granny it is fitting she is there.
DeleteAs for the name I like Louis and is by any misfortune he were to become King he could always take Arthur. At the end of the day do any of the middle names matter? Diana got them wrong at her wedding and I think most people forget Harry is really Henry. I also think Phillip is more than pleased by Louis. Another Prince Phillip who is never King might be a sore point and at 96 does it matter? As for all the wishes for Michael maybe they would have used it except for the Kents.
Find it a little strange to use the name Louis again, sorta like he doesn’t get his own identity, is already his brothers middle name.
ReplyDeleteShame there’s no Middleton name in there. It was about time we saw one... we have really only seen Elizabeth from her side which is really only a coincidence it’s kates middle name too!
Regardless, he’s a beautiful baby and I’m sure they’re all very happy :)))
Fiona
I agree that it's very sad they didn't use a Middleton name.
DeleteElizabeth is not only Kate's middle name but Carole's too and Charlotte is Pippa's. But I agree that that was only coincidence. I don't know why they didn't choose a name that's a Middleton name as well as a BRF name. If not Michael then why not Peter, Francis or James?
Actually Charlotte is Pippa's middle name. And Louis is the name of Prince Philip's dad, so perhaps that is how they chose to honor him.
DeleteOops, wrong on the Philip part.That's what get for believing what I read online without checking first!
DeleteI agree Caroline. I'm surprised they didn't honor Michael but have honored Charles twice. It's odd that Kate's parents weren't the first to visit Louis nor the first to be told of Pippa's pregnancy (if the reports are true). Louis is a cutie though. =)
DeleteIf I were Kate's parents I would not care about a name -- I'd much rather be cuddling with the new baby, driving my grandson to school and spending weekends with them. Time for love and play is much more precious than the name. Besides, I'd likely be using darling, precious, love a lot when I speak to them.
Delete@Sandra--I agree. I don't get this fascination with using grandparents' names (or parents' names, for that matter) for babies. At the end of the day, I am sure the Middletons are happy to have their daughter happily married with a loving spouse and three beautiful children.
DeleteI am thankful the name has been announced! I think most of us are a bit surprised. Louis Arthur Charles is definitely a regal and Royal name, but Louis is a surprise for me. I do understand the importance of the name, but hoped there would be a nod to Kate’s family as well. I do think it’s special he has a name of his father and brother. Prince Louis has a little ring to it! Hoping and praying recovery is going well for Kate and Prince Louis is settling in at home. I know big brother and sister are being great helpers. :)
ReplyDelete\o/ My nephew’s name is Arthur Charles!!! My sister will be super happy about this :D
ReplyDelete😀, Silvereyed!
DeleteI like that they were able to go a little off script this time, especially since everyone picked George and Charlotte from a mile away!
ReplyDeleteNot too sure how I feel about it yet though - I think it will take some time to get used to. I think its cute, but my association is that the name is French, not English!
In regards to it being George's middle name as well, Id guess that it was a special name for them and they wanted to make sure it was included in case they didn't get another chance to use it? I do wish they'd included Philip though, I think that would have been special.
I seemed to recall the pronunciation of Mountbatten as "Louis" in the English style - but I guess we're using the French pronunciation.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, it is also one of the names of Prince Edward - but I believe he is not named for Mountbatten but someone on Philip's side. I can't remember who.
Louis Mountbatten is Prince Philip's uncle. :)
DeleteJulia, I'm almost positive that when Diana said her vows on her wedding day she used the French pronunciation of the name .
DeleteYes, but as I noted before Edward isn't named for Mountbatten. He's named for Louis Hesse and by Rhine - his godfather - who is also on Philip's side most closely - although as always as a descendent of Victoria - both sides.
DeleteI also remembered Louis with 's' pronounced for Mountbatten. It was Mountbatten's father's name, and his sister was Queen Louise of Sweden. They have made the point about Mountbatten by using Louis twice.
DeleteDuring Kate and William's vows it was pronounced Lou-ee.
DeleteSurprising, and I don’t care for it. I understand the wish to honor Mountbbatten, but my first association with the name is my tipsy grandfather singing, “Meet me in Saint Lou-ee, Lou-ee”, and it makes me laugh. Poor kid.
ReplyDeleteLol Greybird! I'm not too fond of it either - my first association with the name Louis is the French Revolution! I'm sure I'll get used to it though.
DeleteI wonder how limited William and Kate are in their choice of baby name. Do they have to try and avoid names that are already in use by key European royals as well as key British royals? Would they need to avoid Frederick (Denmark) and Albert (Monaco), for example? If so, I'm amazed they managed to find anything royal that didn't go back to King Alfred!
Haha, Greybird, that's cute. I like that song! Well at least the name will be easy for the two siblings to say. I can just hear them now, loueee! It's kinda cute.
DeleteHaha! Greybird that was funny!!;-)
DeleteI think what isnmost surprising though, is that with two small kids in school, the name didn't leak earlier! Little kids are not well known for keeping secrets....unless they just referred to Louis as 'baby' or 'him' all week.
ReplyDeleteI thought about that too. :)
DeleteYou guys....I had a baby in February and also named him LOUIS. I'm freaking out! My husband couldn't believe my reaction when I saw the baby's name this morning. Then my baby and I went and had a party to celebrate his sharing the name with this royal baby. So excited!
ReplyDeleteI never thought they would choose Arthur as a first name, and James didn't seem right to me because the baby has 2 uncles named James and a cousin/uncle? (James Viscount Severn). I expected something kind of out of left field, and the only thing that shocks me is that Phillip's name wasn't included somewhere. I'm partial to Louis obviously, but I do think it fits nicely with George and Charlotte.
Cheers!
How cool, Nina!!
DeleteNina, you must be thrilled! :) Congrats! And I agree, the name Louis sounds well with George and Charlotte (in my opinion, better than with Arthur and Charles, lol!)
DeleteJust checked - I believe Prince Edward's Louis comes from Louis - Prince of Hesse and by Rhine who was his godfather. He comes from a particularly tragic part of Philip's family - he was the brother-in-law of Philip's sister - who was killed in a plane crash with her family on the way to Louis' wedding. Louis adopted the only survivor - their daughter but she died young. Some will remember this from The Crown.
ReplyDeleteI presume none of this has anything to do with the baby's name.
Queen Victoria's Daughter Alice was Grand Duchess of Hesse & by Rhine. Her daughter Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenberg (later changed to Mountbatten by King George V when he changed his name to Windsor during WWI). So the name Louis has been tumbled up into the House of Hesse & by Rhine for some time.
DeleteYes, when you think about it you don't get much more family tragedy than what the Hesse family endured - Alexandra of Russia was another of their children - Alice herself young after nursing a sick child.
DeleteHonestly at this point I can only assume that Louis Mountbatten has been haunting them and this was the only way to satisfy his ghost.
ReplyDeleteHahahahaaa!! Good one!
DeleteLol, Robyn 😂
DeleteThanks for the laugh Robyn. You may well be on to something. LM was a persistent (and dare I say it) manipulative chap.
DeleteLike most others, I was not expecting this either. Lucky the ones who bet on this dark horse. Personally, I'm not fond of any names (girls or boys) that end in a long E vowel. To my ear they lack a certain gravitas or authority and always sound a little twee--especially as a person gets older. But that's strictly a matter of personal taste.
SMH
Ha! Best comment I've read so far!
DeleteHa!!! Touche!! lol :) Now perhaps he can rest in peace! :)
DeleteThank you for making me snort laugh at work. :)
DeleteYeahhh, not a fan of reusing George's middle name for this kid. And I never know whether to pronounce it like "Loo-ee" or "Lewis." I once had a Spanish coworker named Luis and I nicknamed him Lulu!
ReplyDeleteI believe Louis Mountbatten, whome this child and so many others are named after, was actually nicknamed “Dickie.” Is that correct?
Delete🌸 lol. Anon @ 12:23. Okay. Hopefully he won’t be called Lulu (although George or Charlotte might try to get that to stick). I am not a fan of the name Louis, to be honest, and for the reasons you mentioned. Like you, I guess at whether to pronounce it “Loo-ee” or “Lewis”. That name was already used for George. And Charles was honored by naming their daughter Charlotte. So I wish they had replaced those names with Phillip Michael.
DeleteI think it was very remiss of them not to include the names Phillip and Michael. Phillip carved out an admirable life for himself and his family and, as the Queen and Eugenie have said, Phillip is the strength of the family. I wish he had been honored in the new baby’s name. Perhaps a Harry and Meghan will use Phillip’s name for one of their children.
And regarding Michael? Oh how I wish they had honored that man by using his name. Some have questioned if that name is regal enough? My take on that is this. If Kate is worthy to be Queen (as she certainly is), then the name of Michael is worthy enough for their Royal baby, yeh? And let’s not forget the mighty Angel, Michael. I would say the name of Michael has Regal provenance, yeh?
As surprising as the fact is to me 🤨, what they name their child is none of my business 😉, but I am very disappointed and not just a little perplexed at their choices. Hopefully, Harry and Meghan will fill in the gap for Phillip. I guess it is now up to Pippa to perhaps use Michael’s name. Maybe she knows she’s having a boy and requested to use that name.
The Royal baby’s name now is what it is, lol, so.....
Wishing Louis Arthur Charles Cambridge a long, healthy, happy, blessed life.💐👑🇬🇧
Ouch. Why three names from Charles and no mention of Michael or Philip? I also think that strong looking baby deserves a stronger name than Louis.
ReplyDeleteWell, he can always go by "Lou"! lol as in "Yo Lou!" lol :)
DeleteLOL Becca. I must say, if they are anything like us Americans, when a child is in BIG trouble with mom or dad, they get called by their full name. That could be a bit trickier with similar names w/ the boys. LOL.
DeleteGlad they went with something a little different than the bookies or even us lot were predicting.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they’re saving some names for Harry and Meghan - but after all it’s a personal choice for them x
Finally the name!
ReplyDeleteThe only one I expected was Arthur...as first name or middle name. I like Louis as it is pronounced here in Germany (Luis). In the UK you pronunce it Lu-ee? Personally I think a longer name would have suited better with George & Charlotte. So as they used one of Georges middle names, to me Alexander would have sounded better. However, itˋs great that this time they "surprised" us with the first name. Donˋt know why they used Charles as they have already used Charlotte, but guess they have their reasons.
So welcome prince Louis :) Hope they are all doing fine and they will settle soon as a familiy of five.
I agree 100%. Alexander would fit better. And also I don't understand using Charles as they already got Charlotte. Michael would be nicer.
DeleteReally, within the royal family it's a German name too. (Well, so are George and Charlotte - so at least they're consistent.) But they are to use the popular pronunciation - and it's not a favourite of mine.
DeleteUm, no, sorry not a name of fond of! They obviously like it though so that's good :)
ReplyDeleteI also can't imagine why anyone would be surprised about not including Kate's family with the name. It's quite obvious they have a traditional family set-up and Kate is agreeable to the "rules" of the firm - which she is obviously happy about so no issue there. With George and Charlotte there was some overlap with her family's names, but I think it was just a coincidence that it just managed to work out that way.
Yes, a French name! My second name is Louise, and I must admit I am delighted to hear the wee prince's name. And thanks again, Charlotte, for your brilliant blog. Have a great day all of you.
ReplyDeleteYou have very nice names, Claude Louise! :)
DeleteWell that’s not my favourite, I have to say. I do love Arthur...maybe he could go by his middle name? There is a great royal tradition of going by alternate names or nicknames. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteWow. Total surprise for the bookies lol!
ReplyDeleteI’m not in love but it’s better than Arthur or Albert. I so want Michael in there to represent Kate’s family. And Francis was my choice for first name. But not my baby lol.
I’m wondering if Michael wasn’t used because Pippa is pregnant and may want to use it.
I also think it is odd to use your older child's middle name as a first name for the younger one. I like the name ok (it is a family name for me), but prefer the US pronounciation. LOO IS. And no Middleton name tie in again?
ReplyDeleteAnd just a little upset that I didn't get it right, after getting George right and Charlotte's full name correct.
I think Louis was chosen as a combination of "regal" name that's also currently "hip." I think William and Kate like for their children to have "normal" names that a lot of other kids have, like Charlotte, which I know is extremely popular in both the UK and US.
DeleteI just saw this quote from the Sun which echoes what I posted a little earlier: "The dutiful couple are mindful of their royal responsibilities and have selected a name which works on three levels - as a suitably grand royal name, on the international stage as the new prince will be known across the globe, and also a moniker which is already popular in playgrounds and matches their desire to give their children as ‘normal’ a childhood as possible.”
DeleteOh this is quite terrible :(
ReplyDeleteFirst name is his brother.s third name, and also Charles is the masculine of Charlotte.
And he.s named after a dead uncle. One thing is to use it as a thurd name like for Geaorge and Charlotte who honours Louis and Diana. But for a first name?
I can.t understand why he was treated differently from his siblings. The first two has all original names, he has TWO repeats passed down from his older siblings.
And the name doesn.t sound well like the majestic first two names.
Camilla
Those are good points.
DeleteThis name is a Major, I mean Major honor for Charles with both the choice of Louis (his surrogate grandfather & surrogate father, best friend) & Charles! It seems this name was greatly about honoring Charles, The Grandfather & Next Monarch! Read into it all else that you will......... (cough, Middleton's being closer to grandchildren, cough ahem)
DeleteArthur is one of Charles's names, and William's. It stems from the longest lived of Queen Victoria's sons, it think. They also both have Philip as middle names. Very strange that it wasn't used again, but maybe Louis was more important to Philip as well as to Charles.
DeleteWhen I say Louis, I think France. I am sure it will grow on me. God bless little Louis.
ReplyDeleteI agree, not my favorite name for a British royal given how many French kings were called Louis, but oh well!
DeleteI do like the name, although it was a bit of a surprise. I am a little disappointed that Kate's father was not honored and my feelings regarding Charles are on record. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, at the end of the day, what difference does it make? The Middleton's are a loving family and their fingerprint will never be erased from the lives of their grandchildren. At the end of the day, it's moments like this photo of Carole picking George up from school that determine one's role in a child's life.
So yes, it would be nice to see Michael as one of the baby's names, but perhaps it spares the Middleton's from potentially unkind and unwarranted debates in the press. In the meantime, they know exactly what they represent in the lives of the Cambridge family...and it's all good!
I think there were problems with the Middleton names - James and Peter already are taken in the royal family in the younger generation - and it would be a bit usurping to take their names for the prince. (As seen today -they used to not worry about that.)
DeleteMichael is linked to Prince Michael of Kent, would lead to Michael Jackson jokes (just like Prince Albert had problems) and is rather dated. Francis would have been interesting but not as first name (I like it because the feminine version has Spencer ties - but then so does Louis.)
Great post, Royalfan. Hadn't thought that including any Middleton names could possibly incur unkind press. The Middletons have so much to offer the grandchildren with their stable, loving family, as well as a home where the grandchildren can play freely.
DeleteRF, I think you hit the nail on the head! What means most to The Middleton's? The Children's fingerprints! What means the most to Charles? The Honor!
Delete🌸 That’s so true, rf, but I am still disappointed. :)
DeleteThe smile on Carole’s face was a joy though. She is on her way now to four grandchildren. Can you believe it? Hopefully Pippa’s children will get lots of playtime with George, Charlotte and Phillip Michael, yeh?😉
Royalfan, if it makes you feel any better: I think George is the spitting image of Michael. BIGGEST compliment one could ever get.
DeleteYou said it very nicely, royalfan, and I think you' re right about the potential unkind debates.
DeleteI have always thought that George looks like Michael Middleton. As the years go by, I'm sure George, Charlotte and Louis will have a much stronger bond with their maternal grandparents, than their paternal ones. Anyway, Pippa is pregnant and perhaps she will select Michael if she and James have a son.
DeleteSo SG, you've already renamed the kid??? lol lol lol :) *wink wink*
DeleteThis is unexpected but most original. HRH Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge, that sounds very sweet indeed. Can we assume that Lady Louise Mounbatten-Windsor, the Earl and Countess of Wessex's daughter would be among the little Prince god's mothers, Charlotte? That would be so nice!
ReplyDeleteElisabeth, Carcassonne, France
If they really wanted a double,they could have Viscount Althorp as a godfather and Lady Louise as a godmother - but I'm thinking she's a bit young.
DeleteI like it! The name honors Prince Philip William and Charles. And Louis is a bit different. It seems Andrew's middle name includes Edward, so not that odd to have sibling with same first name.
ReplyDeleteI like Alexander but thought they wouldn't as middle name of George. Albert too would have been good. Well I ended up liking the name George after getting use to it. And I like pronunciation of LU-EE rather than LU-ISSS. So welcome little one, Prince Louis. Thank you for fascinating post.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping for Arthur to be the first name but I kinda like that they picked something no one was expecting! I'm glad they didn't use Albert. George, Charlotte and Louis. How sweet. Welcome to the World, Louis! I am looking forward to more pictures of him and his siblings together.
ReplyDeleteI’m disappointed. I think it’s hard enough being the third child in a family of primogeniture, without having a repeat name. If they’d wanted to use Louis as a first name, perhaps they should have held off with George having it as a middle name. Or having used it as a middle name for George, if they’re that fond of it, use it again as a middle name. Plus the Charles/Charlotte. You might as well slap a sign on the kid that says “also ran”.
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for this kid. He’s only days old and already getting hand me downs from his siblings!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the spare spare, He’ll probably only ever get to open flower shows. The name is ok, but it reminds me of a friend whose parents had already used their favourite girl’s name for their pet goat before having a daughter. She got the 2nd favourite name, and the goat’s name for a middle name! Poor Prince Louis.
Not sure if you were joking, but from my experience using names more than once in many families is not considered a "hand me down". Having siblings share names is quite usual. Typically the middle name is one that has been in the family for many generations and you are honoring many members of the family going way back. I like their choice of names.
DeleteWould have preferred Arthur as a first name compared to Louis. Too French sounding. I like it as LEWIS as pronounced in the US. Honoring Charles’ uncle but not his FATHER?? Was sure Phillip would be included, unless PP refused it, which I would believe. But like someone said... not my baby lol
ReplyDeleteSo unexpected ! While it would have been nice if they used the name Philip, perhaps it meant more to the family to have a Louis. I was surprised they didn’t use the name Michael for one of the names. As for using repeat middle names , two of my nephews have my Dad’s name, James , as middle names. My brother is also James III, and he named his son James. if I had children and one was a boy, I would have continued the tradition. It depends on the family.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, it’s a shame that Michael from Kate’ father didn’t make it in.... Second, I honestly thought they would honor Philip as a first name; to be honest, I don’t think the Cambridges named their baby at all; it is rather just a mix up of Williiam and Charles names. And most important, with this third child there should have been some leniency regarding naming. I have a suscipion that Charles got last word on this name.
ReplyDeleteI too think this is All about Charles!!
Delete& soothing him!
DeleteCharlotte, any word on why it took twice as long as usual for them to release the name? Just curious! I understood why Anzac day wasn't appropriate but then why not Tuesday? It sounds like even the most reliable royal correspondents were shocked that it wasn't released yesterday. It sounds like the palace even informed them that it would be Thursday but then nothing...Do you think the couple honestly hadn't decided until now?
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that they did not want to release the new prince's name until Prince Charles had a chance to meet the baby. I believe he was out of town for ANZAC observances in France during the week and did not return to England until Wed. evening or Thursday.
DeleteShort... simple... straightforward... and unexpected. My impression was that "Charles" had already been covered ("Charlotte"). "Arthur" has commonly been used in royal names and continues in it's place as a... placeholder? Louis references almost any number of people and historical connections, though everyone seems to think that it's all about Lord Mountbatten, a person William never knew. Like others, I had hoped for a Middleton tie-in or maybe a nod to Price Philip, who deserves it and will probably not be on the planet much longer. Of course, my opinion doesn't count and little Louis - however they want his name to be pronounced - will have to find a way to live with it.
ReplyDeleteI think going with Uncle Dickie's name was a Nod to Prince Philip! Just my 2 cents. :)
DeleteI don’t imagine any oddsmakers pegged this one! Good for William and Kate! Louis appears to be a favorite name of theirs, having chosen it twice now. My mother's first name was used as a middle name for several of her six granddaughters; we all felt it was a sweet way to honor her, and not unusual at all.
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine how pleased William and Kate must be with themselves. Can you imagine how chuffed they must be to have tricked everyone and surprised us all with such an unexpected name!
ReplyDeleteThat they did do!!
DeleteI love this name, to be honest I am not surprised that they choose Louis as his name. I didn’t think they would choose Arthur, Albert, or Alfred because that are so old and not common. Will and Kate are a modern and traditional couple it makes sense for them to chose a regal and modern name at the same time.
ReplyDelete"Louis" looks nice and I imagine they are honoring Prince Philip without actually using his name. We used that name for a cat, but used Lewis. :) In the US, I think kids would call him LuLu or other derivations, but perhaps they won't dare do that to a prince.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood the fascination with Louis Mountbatten. I don't mind the name Louis per se BUT I don't like Louis and Charles together. Too much pressure on this poor couple I suspect? Might explain the delay?
ReplyDeleteDelay + The Name...... I thought the same thing!
DeleteWow! Louis Arthur Charles! Very pretty! Somebody really wanted to honor Lord Louis Mountbatten, they use Louis for both boys! I am very surprised they didn’t use Francis though, a middle name for both Lord Mountbatten and Michael Middleton.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Kate wants to save the names for Pippa and James to use with their children. Two more Middletons left to procreate & I suppose it’s understandable Kate married into the RF, not any other normal family. Duty before anything else I guess.
DeleteOne of the most interesting things is the fact they have used two names Earl Spencer gave to his children - Charlotte and now Louis. I'm not sure what you make of that but there it is.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I've ever commented before, but I adore your blog and follow it regularly.
ReplyDeleteI know this is somewhat off topic, but I could not refrain from saying that it's so sad to see the request for giving to the children's hospital charities when poor little Alfie Evans has been treated in such an inhumane way. I wonder how a royal child would be treated if in the same situation.
Please know that I am in the US and don't completely understand your health system and government, and I mean no ill will.
God bless new Prince Louis and all his family!
I know - I've been trying to avoid that - but it's made it hard for me to feel as happy about all this as I would like.
DeleteI love his names, and while a smidge unusual, I think it's rather sweet that both boys share a name. To be fair, the Royal family can't choose absolutely any name, they don't have that freedom and is why the same ones are recycled so often. They are mindful that if you are in the family, there is always a possibility of becoming king or queen. You just never know how things pan out, our current Queen being a prime example!
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful post, thank you Charlotte.
Totally reaching here but I wonder whether the reason it took an extra day to announce it was because W & K couldn’t agree on the name? And I do very much see Charles’ hand in this name although I know it is said that William is his own man. Charles was absolutely devoted to his uncle Louis.
ReplyDeleteIf I were having tea with W & K today (hah!) I would politely say, what a nice name and leave it at that, focusing all my attention on that gorgeous new baby and his mama. I do like the feminine Louise though. I was actually hoping for Richard myself.
Ding Ding Ding! I think we have a Winner!!! Jo, I completely agree!! I even commented below that I thought it was odd that yesterday William's response, when asked about the name was..... "I'm working on it"! Hmmmmm..
DeleteWhile Louis was a surprise (the French pronunciation, the rather out of date feeling, already used for older brother...) the rest is definitely not. The whole name has a very good ring in my ears- much better than Charlotte’s. Very regal.
ReplyDeleteI am not even sure Charlotte and Charles were picked to honour Prince Charles. Maybe they just like the sound. And even if there is obviously no bad blood between them and Kate’s parents so no need for anyone else to be disappointed.
C.
Not what I expected and I am not a fan. Philip or Alexander would have been a much better and more modern choice but still be regal. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteLouis Spencer is one of Prince William’s cousins on his mother’s side. His other male cousins on his mother’s side are George, Alexander, and Edmund. He has a female cousin named Charlotte Diana. This may be more “cousin-naming” as his uncle Charles Spencer described it.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Not a fan. I've had fun creating names all week but Louis surely wasn't included. I really expected Philip and Michael in there somewhere. I agree wholeheartedly with RoyalFan's comments - the Middleton grandparents are honored by being in the children's lives which is so much more special and important.
ReplyDeleteSorry but not really caring for the name of this new baby. Where was the Middleton side of the family honored if you are doing that? Wonder about the reasons for choosing this particular name?
ReplyDeleteI just wonder how much input Kate had in naming the baby. So sad they didn’t honor her family too.
ReplyDelete🌸 good about about how much input Kate had in choosing the names.
Delete🌸 *good question
DeleteI think it's sad too. At least with Charlotte she got two of her own family's names in (that are also royal names).
DeleteI love the name. And so nice to honor Louis Mountbatten, Prince Philip's uncle and mentor, and so beloved by Prince Charles.
ReplyDeleteAt first I was disappointed: as most readers, I didn't expect this name and thought it a little odd to choose a French name (again, after Charlotte). Then I thought of Louis Mountbatten, though, and it started to make more sense to me and the choice grew on me. Interestingly enough, Louise is also Princess Anne's 4th name. And: Prince Andrew's 4th name is Edward - a name that was later used as his younger brother's 1st name! So it's not completely unprecedented to use one child's 3rd name as another child's first name, at least within the RF.
ReplyDeleteI suppose the Cambridges like the name Louis very much and it is a regal name indeed (so many French kings!)
PS: I though of one more famous "king" Louis..... perhaps little Louis will fall for the trumpet when he gets older... !😄
I think this name was purely for Charles!
DeleteNo more complaining for the rest of time that you haven't been allowed enough of a connection to your grandchildren...... Now one's named after you & your favorite person in all of your life! Humf! I do believe Charles is a bit of a baby that way..... I think this smoothes things over a lot! So do I get voted Most Cynical of The Year???? lol lol :)
DeleteEarl Spencer's eldest son is a Louis, don't know if that's a Spencer historical name. If so, maybe W&K were linking in Diana's side of the family. Like others, it was disappointing not to see a Middleton name in there, perhaps that'll be left to Pippa, when she has her little one.
ReplyDeleteWould love to know what names were on the shortlist if they'd had a girl !
Charlotte, you keeping surprising us with wonderful designs. This post is fantastic. Finally, we know the name of Baby Cambridge. 🤔oh well.
ReplyDelete🌸 funny, Marcia. 🤔 of well.
DeleteOh Well indeed...... I say we just call him Dickie from the start! lol :) Poor cute little cutie pie :(
DeleteIt's a surprise.Louis is a common, classic and royal name but almost nobody expect that they use Louis again.It means that they like so much this name and they decided to give them as last name for first son beacuse they didn 't know if they will have second son -I imagine.
ReplyDeleteI love that William and Kate use Arthur,my favourite name.Charles is so sweet for grandfather :)
Yes, this name was completely off the radar!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: When grandma Carole picks up George from school, does a protection officer have to go too?
I LOOOOVE the fact that grandma gets time with George and helps out with things like picking him up. My son loves when his grandma picks him up from school!! It makes his whole day. I think that's really important in a child's life, to have family and people who love them just for them.
That's a great question! I had assumed so, but I didn't see one in the car? Hmmmm.....
DeleteI have to say that name was not even on my radar! lol I was thinking Lewis until you said they pronounce it Louie, (made me think of the cartoon duck tales from the 80's:) anyway, I like the name, its growing on me and I like the French pronunciation better, sounds better with prince in front of it, for sure more royal. I like Arthur as a middle name and I can see how they used Charles. I know folks think they already used Charles because of charlotte, but I honestly think they just liked charlotte and it had nothing to do with Charles at all. I also do think that Pippa and harry have dibs on names as well, I know with my sisters there was a clear understanding of what names would be used if any of us had children. I am just surprised as it was already used in George's name and figured those names were out of the running. will be interesting to see his little face in time, I thought his nose looked just like Georges while his cheeks were pure charlotte. hoping that kate takes some great at home shots and chooses to share them with us, I really like her photography. on another note, how long do we have to wait for the christening? :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a surprise! I can't say it was my first pick (I was hoping for Alexander), but they must really like the name, and that's all that counts. He will wear it well! I'm curious--in the UK, how is the name pronounced? In the US it is always "Lew-is" vs. "Lou-ee". What is the convention in the UK?
ReplyDeleteHi California Cowgirl. Both pronunciations are used here in the UK - my cousin's son is called Louis (pronounced Lewis) but my friend's son goes to school with a boy called Louis (pronounced Lou-ee). I'm guessing here (and I could be completely wrong), but I would think that within William and Kate's circle, and possibly in the south of the UK in general, the French pronunciation of Lou-ee may be more commonly used.
DeleteI remember them speaking their wedding vows - they pronounced it Lou-ee.
DeleteThank you Helen H!
DeleteI'm guessing, since they named him after Lord Louis Mountbatten, that they will pronounce it the same as he..... "Luu-eee".
DeleteI found naming a baby hard! Having to factor in all the royal tradition/protocols must make it a nightmare. I personally am not a fan of any of three names. Sounds like an old man to me. Someday that will serve him well! But it was not my baby to name. I wonder if they will have nickname for him, like his Uncle Harry. Welcome to the world Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge!
ReplyDeleteHope from USA
The fact that it took so long & then William had that odd response yesterday of.... "I'm working on it".... makes be feel a bit like perhaps Kate had to be swayed. Nothing to go on, just a feeling. Hmmm.
DeleteTotal surprise but Louis is sort of growing on me. Charles also pays tribute to Diana's side whether intentional or not! All three names together do not roll off the tongue smoothly - sounds a bit of a mush mash! I would've liked Philip to have been included and also Richard ( King Richard, the Lion Heart) a truly British name.
ReplyDeletePoor Richard...... I still can't get the image of Poor old Richard of The Carpark out of my head!! lol :)
DeleteI am disappointed with the names for Baby 3 to choose a name that is already included in W & G names in fact 2 names from W's I don't like and I am also very disappointed that no name from Kate's side has been chosen William gets on well with Michael Middleton and has spoken in glowing terms about Kate's grandfather Peter surely Peter or Francis would have been a nice acknowledgement of Kate's family rather than Charles who spent so little of his time with the boys until after Diana was killed. I don't hate the names and Arthur is a nice second name but I cannot understand why the third child had to have names associated with the Royal family yes George & Charlotte but not Baby3. I think Kate is rather too compliant with Royal wishes however Louis it is so we will get used to it as it is a nod to Philip it is the name of his Mothers father.
ReplyDeleteHas Charles visited the baby yet?
I guess Dickie was going to get his due with The Windsors one way or another!! lol :)
DeleteRowling has explained it---these are the names of three Weasleys in Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteAllison in US, thank you for my best laugh of the day!
Delete😂😂
DeleteAllison, I'm wondering... who is called Louis in the Weasley family??? Arthur and Charles, yes, but L.? I'm puzzled... 🤔
DeleteI don’t remember a Louis Weasley. Was he the grandfather or something?
Delete"Louis Weasley was a part-veela wizard and the youngest child of Bill and Fleur Weasley (née Delacour). He has two elder sisters, Victoire and Dominique Weasley. It is most likely that he lives at Shell Cottage. The name "Louis" is the French form of Ludovicus, the Latinised form of Ludwig....."
DeleteI wish I could take credit for remembering this but Rowling posted the info to the Internet today. :)
Is it pronounced Louis with an "S" or "Louie"? If its Louie, I kind of feel sorry for the kid. When I think of Louie I think of King Louie from The Jungle Book. Haha!
ReplyDelete🌸 Would not surprise me at all, Allison.
ReplyDeleteSurfer Girl @ 16:05, I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteCalifornia CowGirl @ 16:28, Charlotte posted Louis would be pronounced “LOU’ EE”.
ReplyDeleteAllison, that's funnier than Mountbatten's ghost weighing in. Another snort laugh. That also sets him up a posh nickname that will never be lived down. Remember you said it first. Better than Dickie. Brilliant.
ReplyDeleteSMH
California CowGirl @ 16:28, Charlotte posted Louis would be pronounced “LU-EE”.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marcia USA!
DeleteNever expected Louis. Not in a million years! But I’m just glad it’s not Albert! (Sorry any Albert fans)
ReplyDeleteI just keep think that wasnt it Louis uncle Dickie who threw Di at Charles? I suppose it could be a remembrance of Di so ppl dont forget her. Dickie also orchestrated PP marrying HM. Quite a sly and crafty gentleman...
ReplyDeleteLet's just say....... Uncle Dickie was a Sly Old Dog!....... & that was after he had already tried to throw his own granddaughter at Charles....... :P
DeleteI am getting to really liking Prince Louie. Made me think of The Kingsmen's song "Louie Louie" and of the movie "Chances Are," in which Robert Downey Jr returns as Cybill Shepperd's deceased husband Louie. Maybe repeating Charles is a way of saying all the kids are equal.
ReplyDeleteAnd continuing with trivia, the Internet showed today the dress that was worn in "Rosemary's Baby" by Mia Farrow, which looks very very similar to Kate's red dress, unfortunately.
Wow, it really does! I didn't say this on Monday because it was such a happy, positive day, but I really didn't care for the dress Kate wore when leaving the hospital. Another cheap, shoddy looking creation from Jenny Packham to go along with the others she made for Kate during this pregnancy. Perhaps if I could see it in person, I would have a different opinion.
DeleteAnd I suppose most people loved the fact that this dress was a nod to Diana's dress with Harry, but I found myself wishing Kate would just be her own person and not be so concerned with honoring Diana so much. It's sweet of course but we see it over and over again and I just want her to start establishing her own style. That's what Diana did...she had help but everything she wore was new and fashion forward and exciting.
Please Stop With the Trivia Allison! You're Depressing Me about this Name!!! lol lol lol :) *wink wink*
DeleteFirst at all, I'm surprise and disappointed.
ReplyDeleteI didn't expect that. I don't like this name even if I'm French.
But I'm thinking about something maybe stupid but funny =
George Alexander Louis --> Louis Arthur Charles --> Charlotte (Charles) Elizabeth Diana.
Does it mean that if a day they have a last children, because I read some times ago that Kate wanted four children (like the Queen) and if it's a girl, it will be :
Diana 'Middle Name' Georgina (George) ?
A Visitor From France
Funny! Yes, logically it would be something like that. Lol
DeleteHa! Could Be? lol :)
DeleteI must say I'm not happy with these names except Arthur, I would have liked very much to call him. Louis is very French for me with this spelling and it would have been also nice and appreciated, if a name from the Middleton line appears as well.
ReplyDeleteBut it's their choice, we must accept it. :)
The question of whether or not Louis is an outdated name is interesting. I did a quick check of most popular boy names in Britain and the U.S. based on names chosen for newborns in 2017. In Britain, Louie came in at 47 and Louis at 71. In the U.S., neither name made the top 100. So it seems that Prince Louis will fit right in with his British contemporaries.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, William is #11 in G.B. and #31 in the U.S. Henry is 15 in G.B. and 35 in the U.S, while Harry is #2 in G.B. and doesn't appear at all in the top 100 in the U.S.
A baby camel born at England’s Blackpool Zoo on the same day as Louis has been named in his honour. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the name.
ReplyDelete🌸 William was nodding off during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Reminded me of Diana nodding off (in her pretty pink outfit) at a ceremony, remember? Both zzzz’s were baby related. Having babies is like that, yeh, it is. 😉
ReplyDeleteI think they had such a small pool of names to choose from, they simply chose the one they liked the best. We shouldn't criticize, I've had four and it's very, very hard to choose a name to begin with, without having the restrictions they do. I still have doubts about 3 of my 4 girls' names!
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's necessarily unusual or a negative thing that Louis was one of George's names. After all, many cultures and/or families think nothing of using the same middle names over and over again. My brother-in-law is French Canadian, and in his family all the males have the middle name Joseph and all the females have the middle name Marie - to honor the Virgin Mary and Joseph. When my sister gave birth to her first son, they gave him the middle name Joseph, but after our father, not because of the tradition in her husband's family (she made sure she told everyone this!).
ReplyDeleteAlso in my husband's family (mostly Dutch from Michigan), many of the girls are also given the middle name Marie - his mother, his sister, his niece. He wanted to give one of our daughters the middle name Marie to go along with this, but I wanted them to have their own names not shared with anyone! Also, many of the boys in his family have the middle name Charles or Thomas.
🌸 I don’t think William and Kate have planned for a fourth child because didn’t Kate mention to someone while she was meeting and greeting that William was “in denial”, lol, about the fact that they were actually having a third child. Did anyone else read that?
ReplyDeleteHe looks like such a precious little one! I was not expecting Louis as his first name, but I do like it :) I can’t wait until he’s older to see who he will resemble.
ReplyDeleteI had thought Philip would be in there for sure but I find that I love the name and ‘George, Charlotte and little Louis’has a nice flow to it! Heather C Detroit MI
ReplyDeleteCan someone explain the use of Arthur? It does seem a bit of a place holder....
ReplyDeleteI love the name! I have to say I find it quite bizarre how 'sad' and 'disappointed' everybody is that Prince Phillip and Michael Middleton aren't named! Shows you how off the public's feelings and opinions based on those feelings can be, as Price Harry always also points out. I mean do we really think that we, the general public following their lives from the outside cares more about Michael than his own daughter or about Phillip more than William love him? Of course not!!! And I strongly doubt that they are bound by name 'rules'. I think all the names they have chosen for all their kids are because that is what they wanted and their families are 100% ok with it. And who thinks of middle names? George is George...we dont think of him as Louis so its ok for third baby to be called by name of Louis. We must be mindful of going by our very outside feelings as if they are superior to those of William and Kate!
ReplyDeleteYou know what comes to my mind...Modern Talking's song 'Brother Louie Louie...' Haha a very popular 80's song!
ReplyDeleteI was completely taken by surprise but then it occurred to me that perhaps Harry has asked to reserve a name should he and Meghan have a boy. I was also quite surprised by "Charles" since Charlotte is the feminine of Charles, which is quite a bit of homage to the future King. And, after reading the context to the above, Louis makes more sense to me now. Thank you, Charlotte.
ReplyDeleteI said earlier I really like the name but for those on the fence, they may end up using Lou or Art on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteDid a little research for fun and Louis is a middle name for Prince Edward, Prince William and Prince George. One of Princess Anne's middle name is Louise and there is Lady Louise too. It seems the Royal Family is very found of the name.:)
ReplyDelete(Just saw a comment here that there is Louis Spencer too).
I"m glad that they choose a name they liked and not pleasing so much the public this time.
Charlotte, thank you for your extraordinary work on both blogs. I'm a long time reader but since English is my second language I rarely comment but read the blogs all the time.
Eva from CA