Kate Middleton had 'heart set' on totally different names for her first child - including one she never used
The Princess of Wales reportedly had a boy’s and a girl’s name chosen before Prince George was born
Emma Shacklock
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What’s in a name? Well, when you're a member of the Royal Family a lot of pressure is on parents to pick the perfect moniker and ahead of Prince George's birth there was huge amounts of speculation over what he'd be called. A lot of time and laughter reportedly went into choosing his name.
However, it's now been suggested that Kate was enamoured with two different, but connected, names at first. Writing in his upcoming book, William & Catherine, royal author and editor Russell Myers has claimed, "Catherine had her heart set on" Alexander for a boy or Alexandra for a girl.
"William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name," Myers added.
The Prince of Wales later got his wish when Princess Charlotte was born and she was given the middle names Elizabeth and Diana after Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. Kate also got to use Alexander, as Prince George has Alexander and Louis as middle names.
Sadly, Alexandra wasn't to be for the Princess, and remains unused. While agreeing on a name can be stressful for any couple, Myers’s book also suggests that William and Kate had some fun throughout the process.
His book claims, "The couple had been given a book of baby names by a close friend, which they spent hours thumbing through - they often ended up in fits of laughter after one or the other had presented a more left-field suggestion".
The future King, showing off his prankster side, would reportedly start meetings with his press team by floating fake name ideas for their first child. Apparently, Prince William would blurt out suggestions like "What do you think about Rodney for a boy, or maybe Graham?"
Myers suggests the couple decided to keep the gender of their first born a secret, something that was widely reported at the time. As Kate reached the fifth month of pregnancy, he states the royal couple started buying baby clothes in neutral colours.
After having Prince George, it was an unexpected member of the family who finally helped the future king get his name. Prince William and Kate are reported to have enlisted the help of their dog, Lupo, to pick between two names.
According to The Times, the couple wrote down their favourite names for a boy on pieces of paper and arranged them on the floor. Lupo made a beeline for George and that was that. When Prince Louis was born he was also given family-connected names.
Prince Louis has the middle names Arthur, which is a middle name he shares with Prince William, and Charles, a nod to his grandfather, King Charles.
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