Royal baby: Prince William may have dropped a major clue about his new son’s name
The "delighted" Duke and Duchess of Cambridge introduce their new prince to the world on April 23 in London. Photo: Getty
With the latest royal baby safely delivered on Monday, two big questions remain: What the little prince will be called, and how his mother Kate looked so picture-perfect hours after giving birth.
With their other children Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have waited a day or two before publicly releasing names.
Speculation about the prince’s first name has seen a clear favourite emerge with bookmakers: Arthur, which plunged from 14-1 to 2-1 hours after the birth.
One reason? The suggestion Prince William, who said “You’ll find out soon enough”, gave away a clue.
Time magazine was among international media outlets reporting the rumour that began circulating after William, 35, name-checked a photographer while leaving St Mary’s Hospital with Kate, 36, and their son.
Seven hours old, the as yet-unnamed prince leaves hospital on April 23. Photo: Getty
According to some Twitter accounts, the Duke pointed to Arthur Edwards, a longtime royals photographer with The Sun.
“There’s Arthur, there he is,” William reportedly said.
Mr Edwards, 77, was a favourite of the Duke’s late mother Princess Diana, who he began photographing in 1980.
The veteran snapper has put a £10 (A$18) bet on his own name, saying, “When George was born I bet on Arthur and lost. Hopefully this time I will have a winner.”
Arthur is a traditional royal name. It is one of Prince Charles’ given names, and also William’s. The Queen’s father George VI also had it in his string of names.
What is a given is that the Cambridges will go down the traditional route they have favoured in the past.
“The Queen would obviously be consulted,” Joe Little, managing editor of magazine, said.
“While she might not necessarily intervene, she’d certainly be aware of any rules.”
Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrive at St Mary’s to meet their little brother. pic.twitter.com/rfX9rsdJhU
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 23, 2018
Kate and William are finalising their choices from the privacy of Apartment 1A, their Kensington Palace home, after the new mother left hospital only seven hours after delivering her new prince.
Her main reason for leaving so soon is reportedly that her presence creates a security nightmare and disrupts other patients’ hospital experience.
As is the family signature, she and William – and the baby – were colour-coordinated in red, white and blue for St George’s Day, April 23 when they drove slowly home in a police-escorted Range Rover.
Like a living Pantone colour scheme: William and Kate and their newborn. Photo: Getty
Kate wore a red Jenny Packham dress with white collar, William was in navy and the baby was wrapped in a white shawl from royal favorite brand GH Hurt and Son Ltd.
While Kate was in labour, her assistant-turned-stylist Natasha Archer was spotted leaving St Mary’s from a back exit.
She is thought to have dropped off Kate’s outfit, having also styled her previous two post-baby hospital appearances.
Another key player in Kate’s style squad is her hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, who charges about $550 for a blow wave.
The Queen celebrated news of the safe arrival of her great-grandson by going horse riding at Windsor, and congratulations flooded in from around the globe:
Barack and I are thrilled to congratulate The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their newest arrival! We hope to meet him soon for a Kensington Palace pajama party. I’ll wear my robe! pic.twitter.com/9zR7M049HR
— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) April 23, 2018
Warmest congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their third child. The Abbey's bell ringers will ring a full peal of Cambridge Surprise Royal, starting at 1pm tomorrow, in celebration #royalbaby pic.twitter.com/9diiLgHL0X
— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) April 23, 2018
Baby joy for Fife graduates – #congrats to Catherine Middleton, art history Class of 2005 & William Wales, geography Class of 2005, on the birth of their 3rd child. #RoyalBaby 👏 pic.twitter.com/v7VlJd6faR
— University of St Andrews (@univofstandrews) April 23, 2018
The next big family occasion? Charlotte turns three on May 2, just under three weeks before her uncle Prince Harry’s wedding to actress Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor.