Before the birth of her eldest son, Prince George, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, had a different name in mind. As the birth of her first child approached in 2012, Kate had her heart set on the name ‘Alexander’.
This revelation was shared by royal expert Katie Nicholl, shedding light on the deliberations that took place as Kate and Prince William prepared for parenthood.
Katie Nicholl explains, “Courtiers insisted the pair had not found out the genedr of their unborn baby, and friends close to the couple claim William wanted a surprise.”
Despite the couple’s decision to keep the baby’s gender a surprise, Kate had a strong feeling that she was expecting a boy. “Although Kate apparently suspected it was a boy and had set her heart on the name Alexander, they had not yet decided what to call their firstborn,” Nicholl adds.
The royal expert recounts a conversation with Prince William just weeks before the birth, where he expressed his desire to maintain the element of surprise. “When I saw William a few weeks before the birth he said they didn’t know [the baby’s gender] and didn’t want to find out,” Nicholl recalls. “He said there are so few surprises in life — this was one he wanted to keep.”
Kate, however, had her own maternal instincts guiding her expectations. Nicholl notes, “Kate said she thought it was a boy because the baby kicked so much.” This intuition led her to favor the name Alexander, reflecting a sense of anticipation and personal connection even before the baby’s arrival.
Ultimately, the couple chose the name George Alexander Louis for their firstborn, blending the name Kate had favoured with traditional and regal significance. Prince George, now the third in line to the British throne, carries a name that honours both his family’s heritage and his mother’s initial preference.
This anecdote offers a glimpse into the personal and relatable moments within the royal family, highlighting the balance between tradition and personal choice. It also underscores the human side of royal parenthood, where, like many expectant parents, Kate and William navigated the excitement and uncertainty of choosing a name for their child.
Read More: Kate Middleton Assists Prince George in Breaking Significant Tradition as Future Monarch
Prince George’s full name, George Alexander Louis, not only reflects a combination of personal and traditional influences but also carries a significant historical weight. The name George has a long-standing royal legacy, having been borne by six previous kings, while Alexander and Louis add a touch of modernity and familial tribute.
In summary, Kate Middleton’s initial preference for the name Alexander for her firstborn son Prince George reveals the blend of personal intuition and traditional considerations that go into royal naming decisions.
This story, shared by royal expert Katie Nicholl, highlights the relatable experiences of the royal couple as they prepared to welcome their first child, balancing surprise, tradition, and personal connection in choosing a name that would carry their son’s identity into the future.
