Monday, May 04, 2015

Perfect name for a Princess: Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge

Huzzah, William and Kate have finally named their newborn daughter! Introducing Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge. Charlotte and Elizabeth seemed to be obvious choices, but the addition of Diana was a hot topic of debate on Twitter. Each name has a royal and personal connection for the couple.


Princess Charlotte of Wales via Wikipedia

 
Charlotte means petite and feminine. Other notable Charlotte's include Charlotte Bronte and Charlotte Church. On a more personal level, Charlotte is the middle name of Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton. Within the royal family, the name has not been used as a first name in a long time. It has a rather tragic history. The last princess to bear the name, Princess Charlotte of Wales, granddaughter of King George III and her namesake, Queen Charlotte. Princess Charlotte died in childbirth in 1817. Although the King had fifteen children, she was the only legitimate grandchild and thus heiress presumptive to the throne. Her unexpected death set in motion a royal baby race that eventually resulted in the birth of Queen Victoria. Some have also pointed out that Charlotte is the feminine version of Charles and therefore a tribute to him. Personally I think this is a bit of a reach.


Joel Rouse/Min of Def/Wikipedia
Elizabeth has Hebrew origins. In the New Testament, Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist. It is the name of numerous Saints, and means 'Consecrated to God'. Elizabeth also happens to be the middle name of Kate herself and of her mother, Carole Middleton. Aside from Victoria, the name Elizabeth is Royal with a capital R. Although it has a long history within the royal family, Elizabeth is currently synonymous with Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother as well as the present Queen Elizabeth II. A nice regal tribute to her great-grandmother in the year she surpasses Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch in British history in September.


Wikipedia/Public Domain By Nick Parfjonov
Diana means 'heavenly or divine'. It has mythological origins as the Goddess of the Hunt, Moon and Childbirth. As mentioned previously, Diana was a hot point of contention on Twitter. Would William and Kate burden their daughter with the name of a iconic grandmother she will never be able to live up to? My view is, choosing the name Diana was always up to William and Kate, regardless of pro/con public opinion. A beautiful name and a beautiful tribute to a mother gone but not forgotten.


 Welcome Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge!


© Marilyn Braun 2015


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