Baptized on October 23, 2013, Prince George does not have the first name that Kate Middleton initially chose. Here’s how their dog Lupo helped the couple decide.
Born on July 22, 2013, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton has a royal first name which was announced two days after his birth. “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis (….) The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge“, indicated Kensington Palace in a press release. Favorite of bookmakers, the first name Louis is a tribute to the great-grandmother of Prince William, namely King George VI. Father of Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Margaret, he reigned between December 11, 1936, the day after the abdication of his brother Edward VII, and February 6, 1952, the date of his death.
Although it respects royal tradition, George’s first name was not number 1 on the list of his mother, Kate Middleton. Indeed, the Princess of Wales only had one idea in mind: the first name Alexander. “William and Kate didn’t want to know the sex of their baby before he was born. But Kate felt it would be a boy and had set her sights on the name Alexander “, confirmed royal expert Katie Nichol to Mirror.But not knowing how to choose between the first names Alexander or George, the couple opted for a very original solution, just a few weeks before the birth of their eldest son.
According to The Times newspaper, Kate and William had placed pieces of paper in front of their dog Lupo, who died in 2020, on which the different favorite first names were written, and the cocker spaniel headed towards the first name George! This is how the pet contributed to the choice of Prince George’s first name. An anecdote that the little boy will enjoy remembering in homage to his adorable dog.
The baby would then have inherited the middle name Alexander, in reference to Alexandrina, which is the middle name of Queen Elizabeth II and the first name of Queen Victoria. Derived from Alexander, the first name Alexander is taken from the Greek first name Alexandros which means “he who repels men” or “he who protects men”. Finally, Prince George’s third first name is Louis. First name of his little brother, it pays homage to Louis Mountbatten, the last viceroy and governor general of India, but also to the beloved great-uncle of Charles III!