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Kate Middleton and Prince William were faced with a major decision about what to name Prince George
Royal editor Russell Myers writes in the upcoming book William and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story that the couple struggled to come up with a name before coming up with a short list
Princess Kate "had her heart set" on another name, Myers writes
Kate MiddletonandPrince Williamwent back and forth about what to name their first child,Prince George.
The Prince and Princess of Wales became parents when George, now 12, was born in July 2013, and his name choice carried extra weight as a future heir to the throne.
In the upcoming bookWilliam and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, out March 10, Russell Myers writes that Princess Kate, 44, and Prince William, 43, "spent hours" researching names for their first baby. The royal couple did not learn their child's sex before birth, theBBCreported, and the biography claims that they struggled to agree on names.
According to excerpts published inThe Mirroron Feb. 17, Kate was keen on Alexander or Alexandra, while William wanted to include a tribute to his late mother,Princess Diana, if they had a girl.
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"Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (alsoQueen 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 inWilliam and Catherine.
Kate reportedly ran name ideas by some of her close friends who were also moms, and a pal gave her and William a name book for 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 writes.
Having fun with the process, the author says that Prince William would surprise his press team by suggesting unexpected names. Myers writes that William would begin meetings by asking, "What do you think about Rodney for a boy, or maybe Graham?" and pause for a response before erupting in laughter.
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According to the author, William eventually chose two top boy names: George and Louis.
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The royal family expanded when William and Kate's first child, a son, was born on July 22, 2013, and they named him George Alexander Louis. George may be a tribute to Queen Elizabeth's beloved father, who was King George VI, who helped lead Britain through World War II and died unexpectedly at age 54 in 1952 following health complications.
The couple's second child, daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, arrived on May 2, 2015, and they became a family of five when son Louis Arthur Charles was born on April 23, 2018. Louis' name may be a tribute to Lord Louis Mountbatten,Prince Philip's beloved uncle and father figure, who was assassinated by an IRA bomb in 1979.
The futureKing Charleswas also close to Lord Mountbatten, his godfather, and named his first son William Arthur Philip Louis, with the middle name of Louis interpreted as an homage.
Myers explores the Prince and Princess of Wales' love story, life in the royal spotlight and future vision inWilliam and Catherine, which will be published next month.
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Excerpts of the text published so far byThe Mirror, which Myers edits, include the claims thatWilliam wanted the now ex-Prince Andrew banished from royal life years beforeKing Charles stripped his royal title in 2025,how Kate and William told their children about her cancer diagnosisin 2024 andwhy Kate was less interested than William in trying to bring Prince Harryback into the royal fold when he andMeghan Markleannounced their intention to step back from their royal roles in 2020.
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