EXCLUSIVE: The Heartbreaking Demand Prince William Made When it Came to Naming His Daughter Princess Charlotte
Prince William had his late mother in mind when naming his daughteer.
March 24 2026, Published 7:57 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Prince William's wish to honor his late mother, Princess Diana, played a crucial role in the naming of his daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
That's according to a new royal biography that sheds light on the emotional decision behind the name. The insight comes from William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, a book by royal reporter Russell Myers.
Prince William’s Heartfelt Nod to Princess Diana
Prince William honored his late mother through his daughter’s name.
The Prince of Wales, now 43, is said to have made a deeply personal request when choosing his daughter's name before her birth on May 2, 2015.
Diana, who died in 1997 aged 36 in a Paris car smash when William was 15, remained central to his thoughts as he and wife Catherine, 44, considered baby names.
Myers wrote at least one part of Charlotte's name had been chosen "long before" she arrived, adding William wanted his mother's name also to appear as a tribute.
"Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (also Queen Elizabeth's middle name) for a girl," Myers writes.
"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."
Princes William and Harry Align on Names
The middle name Elizabeth honored both the late Queen and Catherine’s own middle name.
The result – Charlotte Elizabeth Diana – paid homage not just to the late Princess of Wales but also to Queen Elizabeth II, who was said to have been touched by the gesture.
Six years later, William's younger brother, Prince Harry, now 41, followed a similar path.
When his daughter Princess Lilibet Diana was born on June 4, 2021, Harry and wife Meghan Markle said in a statement: "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet.
"Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."
At the time, Catherine had yet to assume the title of Princess of Wales, which she would later inherit in 2022 after Queen Elizabeth's death.
Myers writes that despite the brothers' strained relationship, William and Catherine nonetheless reached out "upon Lilibet's birth in 2021," sending "a gift and a card of congratulations – though added that would "be the extent of their contact."
The Day Prince William Gave Up on Harry
Princes William and Harry reunited on July 1, 2021, to unveil a statue of Princess Diana.
Even fleeting gestures of goodwill, however, did little to bridge their divide.
"One former courtier said that all talk of 'the other side' was effectively banned after the brothers honored a previous agreement to come together at Kensington Palace to unveil a statue of their mother on July 1, on what would have been her 60th birthday," Myers writes.
After that event, William is said to have "made up his mind" that "he did not recognize Harry anymore and his brother wasn't to be trusted."
The book delves further into the naming debates within the Wales household.
Prince William’s Prank Names Revealed
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The Prince jokingly suggested names like Rodney or Graham during the process.
Catherine, Myers revealed, had originally "had her heart set" on a different name for Prince George, their firstborn.
The couple, then expecting their first child in 2013, did not know the baby's s--. They "spent hours" poring over a book of baby names gifted by friends, according to Myers.
"They often ended up in fits of laughter," he notes, adding "after one or the other had presented a more left-field suggestion."
William would apparently jokingly propose names such as "Rodney for a boy, or maybe Graham," before bursting into laughter.
Ultimately, William and Catherine settled on George Alexander Louis – a name that wove together the family's preferred choices and that later provided inspiration for their second son, Prince Louis, born April 23, 2018.
