The Royal Baby Name Has Been Revealed

Prince Louis Arthur Charles is likely named after Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India and William's great-uncle who was killed by an IRA bomb in 1979, as well as his father, Prince Charles. He will be fifth in line to the throne and is Queen Elizabeth’s sixth great-grandchild. Previous rules of succession dictated that, as a baby boy, Louis would take precedence to the throne over Princess Charlotte, with the two-year-old moving to fifth place. However, an amendment to The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 means the bias towards male offspring has changed, and royal children now inherit the throne in order of birth rather than gender.

It has been confirmed that little Louis' official title will be His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. While Arthur and Albert had long been bookie’s favourites for the royal baby name, the pair went outside of the public's expectations with Louis – with odds on the name sitting at just 18/1 – especially considering it's also Prince George's middle name.

But it’s not just a name that Kate and William have picked out of personal preference. While we regular folk generally have no rules when it comes to naming our offsrping, tradition is a huge part of the baby-naming process when it comes to the Royal Family. It all comes down to three important parts, as royal commentator Richard Fitzpatrick explained to the BBC: “When you choose a name for a royal baby there’s the personal [preference]; there’s the link with the royals past and present; but also you think about the public. You want a name that resonates, a name that’s got family links and is popular.”

Joe Little, Managing Editor of Majesty magazine, added that royal parents aren't the only ones in the decision-making process. "The Queen would obviously be consulted and, while she might not necessarily intervene and prevent a name from being used, she would certainly be aware of the name, long before any public announcement."

For their first two children, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose traditional names as a tribute to previous members of the Royal Family: George Alexander Louis was a nod to not one, but six former kings, and Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was a more obvious homage to William’s mother and grandmother. 

And while telling your grandmother what you plan to call your child months in advance might seem a bit much, there are plenty of other strange rules Kate and William must abide by, such as the town cryer announcing the birth and the father not being allowed in the delivery room – although that rule is believed to have been relaxed after the birth of Prince Charles. But both Princess Diana and Kate broke royal protocol by choosing to give birth in a hospital; as was tradition, the Queen gave birth to all of her children at Buckingham Palace.