Prince William And Kate Middleton Are Having A Girl And Will Name Her Princess Mary, Per The Latest UK Odds
Kate Middleton is gearing up for her third baby next month. Kensington Palace has kept details of the pregnancy to a minimum, but that hasn’t stopped UK bookmakers from guessing what Middleton and Prince William will name their newest addition. What names are at the top of the betting pools?
According to Express, the majority of bookmakers in the UK believe that the Duchess of Cambridge will have a girl come April. Ladbrokes has 4-1 odds that the couple will name their baby Mary, followed by the names Alice and Victoria, which are tied for second with 8-1 odds.
In comparison, Albert is leading the pack when it comes to boy names at 12-1 odds. Other names include Alexandra, Diana, Elizabeth, Frederick, Henry, James, and Grace.
Mary rose to the top over the past few weeks, quickly overtaking Alice as residents in the northwest increased their support. We are still well over a month until Middleton gives birth, so those numbers will likely change in the coming weeks, especially when it comes to the boy names.
Whatever the couple picks, the name will likely have strong ties to the royal family, which is one reason why Mary is so popular at the moment. There have been two Queen Marys in British history: Mary I — also referred to as Bloody Mary because she persecuted Protestants — and Mary II, who ruled with her husband, William III.
“Punters are convinced the Duke and Duchess are expecting another little girl, and obviously it would be a lovely touch to honor Her Majesty’s Grandmother, but it will be interesting to see if any boys’ names are backed over the coming weeks before the birth,” Ladbrokes spokeswoman Jessica Bridge explained.
If Middleton and William name their child Mary, then she would become the second person to hold the title Princess Mary of Cambridge. The first was Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge.
The name Mary has dipped in popularity over the past hundred years, though it was the most popular name at the turn of the century in 1904. It currently resides outside of the most popular 100 girls’ names in the UK.
Middleton and William have not announced a specific due date for their third baby, reports Time. Bookmakers believe the child will be born around April 29, which happens to coincide with the couple’s seventh wedding anniversary.
If the baby arrives a bit early, then there’s a chance it will share a birthday with the country’s famous feast celebration, St. George’s Day, which lands on April 23.
Kensington Palace officially confirmed Middleton’s pregnancy in September. Once she has the child, Middleton must adhere to several different rules.
This includes informing Queen Elizabeth before making the announcement public and not allowing William into the delivery room. While home deliveries are preferred, Middleton will likely have her third child in a private wing of a London hospital.
Prince William and Kate Middleton recently joined Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for their second official event as the royal fab four, attending church with Queen Elizabeth.
