What Is The Story Behind Prince Louis Arthur Charles’ Name?
Are you a fan of their name choice?
The wait for the name of the newest British prince is finally over!
After days of speculation following the birth of William and Kate’s newest child on April 23, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge finally shared the news with the world!
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles,” an official Kensington Palace statement read. “The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.”
The palace even posted the announcement on social media, showing that they are embracing less traditional means of communication:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles.
The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. pic.twitter.com/4DUwsLv5JQ
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 27, 2018
Now that we know the little prince’s name, the next question is: Where did the name come from? After all, royal names are always rich in history and meaning.
And with three names, there’s a lot of history there. Let’s break it down:
The name Louis honors Lord Louis Mountbatten, who has a special place in the heart of the royal family.
He was the uncle of Queen Elizabeth’s husband Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
He had a close relationship with his nephew Philip and even introduced him to then-Princess Elizabeth in 1939. The rest, as they say, is royal history.
He also became a close confidant to Prince Charles.
Lord Mountbatten served in the Royal Navy, and was also the last Viceroy of India. He rose to the most senior position in the Royal Navy: First Sea Lord.
Sadly, Lord Mountbatten was assassinated in 1979 by the Irish Republican Army when they bombed his boat off the coast of County Sligo in Ireland. He was 79 years old.
Louis is also one of the middle names of both Prince William and his other son George. So the youngest prince in the family now carries on a lasting tradition.
Arthur is also a traditional royal family name. Louis’ grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father, Prince William, both share Arthur as part of their full names.
The name Arthur also honors Queen Victoria’s third son. According to Celtic language history, the name Arthur means “bear.”
Of course, Charles ties directly in to Prince Louis’ paternal grandfather, the Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, Prince Charles.
Is It Pronounced Like “Lewis” or “Louie?”
Spelled like “Louis,” it’s hard to know from an Instagram post if that’s it’s pronounced like “Lewis,” or if the correct way to pronounce it is “Louie,” like the well-known line of French kings.
Luckily, it wasn’t long before we got an answer. The new royal’s name is pronounced the French way: Loo-ee!
What do you think of their name choice?