24 Jul 2013

Boy George: royal baby named

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge name their new son George Alexander Louis, two days after his birth.

Royal baby named.

Kensington Palace confirmed the name of the new baby, third in line to the throne, on Wednesday.

William and Kate’s baby will be known as Prince George.

He was born at 16.25pm on 22 July and made his first appearance on Tuesday in the arms of his Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge.

With cheering crowds greeting them, Prince William said the baby, wrapped in a white blanket, was a “big boy” with a “good pair of lungs on him”.

At the time, he said they were “working on” a name for him. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, said the birth had been “very emotional …. any parent would know what this feels like.”

The Duke, Duchess and their new baby travelled to the Middleton home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, on Wednesday afternoon after spending a night at Kensington Palace.

Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, travelled from east Yorkshire to see the couple and their son on Tuesday. They were preceded by Carole and Michael Middleton, Kate’s parents, who were the first to visit the hospital following the birth.

Six King Georges have worn the crown throughout history since the German-born George I, the first Hanoverian king of Great Britain, acceded to the throne in 1714. The last was the Queen’s father George VI who died in 1952 but was known to his family as Bertie.

George was the most popular name with the bookies with betting firms William Hill, Coral and Paddy Power all offering short odds on the moniker.

The Queen leaves after visiting her new great-grandson, George (Rex)

The Queen visited her great-grandson at the palace earlier on Wednesday for half an hour. She leaves for her summer holiday at Balmoral, Scotland, on Friday.