A nod to history as Royals play name game

THE DUKE and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to pick a “classic” name for their third child, as they did with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

If the baby is a girl, they are thought likely to pick a traditionally royal name such as Victoria or Alice, which was the name of one of Queen Victoria’s daughters and also of the Duke of Edinburgh’s mother.

Other suggestions include Alexandra or Mary, the Queen’s two middle names and the names of her grandmother Queen Mary and great-grandmother Queen Alexandra – or Amelia, the name of one of George III’s daughters.

George II also had a daughter called Amelia. The name is currently the most popular girls’ name in England and Wales.

Elizabeth, after the baby’s great-grandmother, the Queen, has already been used as one of Charlotte’s middle names, as has Diana in remembrance of William’s late mother. Dorothy might be selected as a middle name in tribute to Kate’s maternal grandmother.

Other contenders could be Charles, to honour the Prince of Wales, Albert, Arthur, Frederick or even Henry – Prince Harry’s actual name.

Francis is a family name for the Middletons, while Diana, Princess of Wales’s middle name was Frances. A middle-name tribute might be made to Kate’s father Michael, or her paternal grandfather Peter.

The baby will be styled HRH Prince (forename) of Cambridge or HRH Princess (forename) of Cambridge.