The favourite for the royal baby name is heart-breaking

Danielle Stacey
·Royal Correspondent
The favourite for Harry and Meghan’s chosen name is Diana. photo: Getty Images
The favourite for Harry and Meghan’s chosen name is Diana. photo: Getty Images

Punters have predicted that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will call their baby Diana after Harry’s late mother, following a flurry of bets on the newborn being a girl.

Betfair spokesperson Katie Baylis told Yahoo Style UK: “Diana has been the big favourite since Meghan announced she was expecting and we’ve slashed the odds on the name to 3/1 in the last few days.

Grace comes in as a second, while Arthur, James and Edward are predicted if the baby is a boy.

Meghan and Harry are due to welcome the newest addition to the royal family any day now, and rumours are flying thick and fast around every detail.

So what’s in a name?

Diana would be a tribute to Harry’s mother who tragically died in a car accident in Paris in 1997. It’s also one of Princess Charlotte’s middle names.

It's suspected a baby girl would be named after the Duke's late mother Diana. Photo: Getty Images
It’s suspected a baby girl would be named after the Duke’s late mother Diana. Photo: Getty Images

Grace Kelly is the name of the former American actress, who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III in April 1956. Like Meghan, she retired from acting to take up royal duties.

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Victoria and Alice are also favourites if the couple have a girl.

The Queen is a great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Princess Alice was her second daughter. The Duke of Edinburgh’s mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg.

If the royal baby is a boy, Arthur, James and Edward all have royal connotations.

Prince William and his son Louis both have Arthur as one of their middle names. Photo: Getty Images
Prince William and his son Louis both have Arthur as one of their middle names. Photo: Getty Images

Arthur is the name of the legendary, mythical king, derived from 5th century folklore.

Prince William and his son Prince Louis also have Arthur as one of their middle names and Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton gave the name to her firstborn.

King James has been the name of many monarchs throughout history, while Edward was the name of the Queen’s uncle and is also that of her youngest son.

‘Edward’ may recall a time when a divorcee was unable to be queen. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Photo: Getty Images
‘Edward’ may recall a time when a divorcee was unable to be queen. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Photo: Getty Images

Harry and Meghan may be less likely to choose Edward though, as he abdicated from the throne in 1936 so he could marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

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Meghan is also an American divorcee so the choice of name may be a little on the nose for the parents-to-be, who have already weathered their fair share of controversy.

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