The Princess of Wales may be in line to be our next Queen, but she was born a ‘commoner’ just like the rest of us. It’s therefore an intriguing coincidence to see there were royal clues right from the beginning in her name. When Carole Middleton gave birth to her daughter in Reading in 1982, she had no way of knowing that her child would become a member of the Royal Family. And yet, the name she chose ended up foreshadowing her future, and it could be the reason Kate makes history.
While commonly referred to as ‘Kate’ by the public, the Princess’s full birth name (before marriage) is Catherine Elizabeth Middleton. Most will be aware her full first name is Catherine, though some may be surprised to learn that her middle name is the same as our late Queen Elizabeth II and other queens before her. While Kate’s middle name holds a royal connection to the late monarch, her first name, Catherine, is also steeped in royal history.
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To date, there have been five Catherines who have become Queen – three of which were married to King Henry VIII (Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr). There have also been five Annes and five Elizabeths who have been queens, either as monarchs or as queen consorts married to reigning kings. All three – Catherine, Anne and Elizabeth – are therefore the joint most common names for queens from the UK royal family.
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Henry VIII had six wives, three of which were named Catherine. Image clockwise from top: Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon, Catherine Parr and Jane Seymour. Centre is King Henry VIII.
However, when Catherine becomes Queen, she’ll be the sixth Queen Catherine – meaning the name Catherine will take the top spot. It’ll be a quiet, easily overlooked historic moment, and one which was incidentally destined from the moment she was born – outside of royalty. With her own children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, Kate has continued the royal tradition, as all three names can be traced back to former kings and queens.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children.
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Prince Harry and Meghan have two children, Archie and Lilibet.
When Prince Harry and Meghan welcomed their daughter back in 2021, they chose to name her specifically after Queen Elizabeth II. However, rather than choosing Elizabeth, they named her Lilibet, after the late Queen’s childhood nickname. The name of their son, Archie, however, doesn’t directly link to a royal past. When he was born, many assumed that Archie may have been short for the more formal moniker Archibald, but this wasn’t the case.
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Savannah and Isla Phillips in 2022.
Other members of the extended Royal Family, outside of direct line to the throne, have chosen less traditionally royal and British names for their children, too. Son of Princess Anne, Peter Phillips, for example, named his daughters Savannah and Isla, while Princess Beatrice’s children are called Sienna and Athena.
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