Prince George was almost given completely different name, book claims
The eldest of Prince William and Kate Middleton's three children was almost given a completely different name, according to a new book.
Writer Russell Myers has claimed in his upcoming book, William and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, out next month (10 March), that the future King and Queen weren't immediately sure what they would call their first child.
Prince George, who is now 12, was welcomed to the world back in July 2013, but it took his parents quite a while to come up with the perfect moniker.
Myers writes that Kate, 44, and William, 43, 'spent hours' researching names after choosing not to learn the sex before birth, as previously reported by the BBC, and the biography says they found it hard to settle on final choices.
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Extracts published by The Mirror yesterday (17 February) say Kate favoured Alexander or Alexandra, while William wanted a girl’s name to honour his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, if they were to have had a girl.
"Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (also Queen Elizabeth's middle name) for a girl. William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name," Myers writes in William and Catherine.
Kate is said to have tested ideas with close friends who were also mothers, with one friend giving the couple a baby name book to help with inspiration.
"The couple had been given a book of baby names by a close friend, which they spent hours thumbing through - they often ended up in fits of laughter after one or the other had presented a more left-field suggestion," Myers continued.
William also joked about names with his press team, with Myers saying he would open meetings by asking: "What do you think about Rodney for a boy, or maybe Graham?" before pausing and laughing.
The heir-to-the-throne eventually narrowed his top boys' names to George and Louis.
George, whose full name is George Alexander Louis, was born in July 2013, followed by Princess Charlotte in May 2015.
The couple's third and last child is Prince Louis, who arrived in April 2018.
Myers' book explores William and Kate’s relationship, royal life and future plans.
Early extracts in The Mirror also claim William wanted Prince Andrew, Duke of York removed from royal duties years before Charles stripped his remaining titles late last year, detail how the couple told their children about Kate’s cancer diagnosis in 2024, and describe Kate as less keen than William on repairing ties with Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex after he and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal roles in 2020.
Tyla has reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
Topics: Prince George, Royal Family, UK News, Books, Prince William, Kate Middleton
Rhiannon Ingle