Prince William and Princess Catherine’s parenting choice that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided against
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales made a decision with their children that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't opt for

Prince William and Princess Catherine’s parenting choice that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decided against.
- The Prince and Princess of Wales made a naming decision when each of their children were born that wasn’t continued by Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan.
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children don’t have any link to King Charles in their names, unlike Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.
- This royal news comes as we revealed why Lady Louise Windsor’s summer could be a little more stressful than usual this year.
Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped back” and settled in their Santa Barbara home, their path has deviated more than ever from the one being taken by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales. Whilst the Sussexes have launched various projects, including Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, the future King and Queen Consort have announced new ventures and continue to undertake a packed schedule of royal engagements.
Their approach to parenting can also be seen to differ, as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are rarely seen whilst Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are being gently introduced to public life as they grow older. Though Prince William and Princess Catherine’s parenting choice made in the early days when their children were born is something that Prince Harry and Meghan also decided against following.
Whilst not everyone will have noticed it, all three Wales children were given names that in some way connect to King Charles. His Majesty’s full name is Charles Philip Arthur George and several of these names have been chosen for his Wales grandchildren. Prince George’s first name is his grandfather’s final middle name and both could’ve been in tribute to King George VI. Meanwhile, Prince Louis has the middle names Arthur and Charles.
Princess Charlotte’s name is a less direct connection to King Charles, but according to Nameberry, Charlotte is the feminine form of Charles. It is apparently derived from the French, “Charlot”, which reportedly means, “Little Charles”, and Charlotte is a popular name within the Royal Family’s history.
So Prince William and Princess Catherine’s parenting choice seems to have led them to popular royal names that link each of their children’s names in some way to King Charles. When Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan came to naming Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, they took a slightly different approach.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex decided against more traditional names for their children and neither Prince Archie or Princess Lilibet have any names that connect to King Charles. Prince Archie’s full name is Archie Harrison, with Harrison very appropriately meaning “Harry’s son”. Archie is considered to mean “bold” or “brave” which adds a lovely significance to their choice.
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It was also confirmed by Prince Harry and Meghan that Princess Lilibet Diana was named after Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana. It seems that they preferred to forge their own way with baby names that didn’t necessarily have the centuries of royal tradition behind them that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis’ do.
Prince William and Princess Catherine’s parenting choice of more traditional royal names like Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth did means that there is a lot of crossover between King Charles’ full name and his Wales grandchildren. Whether the naming tributes were deliberate as well remains to be seen but it adds another lovely layer of meaning for Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. She specialises in the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
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