The secret behind the disagreement between Princess Diana and King Charles when their sons were born has been revealed… and it has royal fans buzzing.
King Charles ‘overruled’ by Diana before compromise struck for William and Harry
Princess Diana and King Charles reportedly disagreed over something important when their sons were born.
Princess Diana and King Charles disagreed over something important when their sons were born (Image: Getty)
Princess Diana boldly overruled King Charles’s traditional royal demands during a major clash over the names of Prince William and Prince Harry. The late Princess of Wales flatly rejected the now-Monarch’s preferred choices for their sons, branding his historic name options “too old”.
The fascinating royal dispute has been thrust back into the spotlight following Prince Harry’s latest podcast appearance, where he surprised listeners with an unusual self-introduction. During his recent trip to the UK, the Duke of Sussex recorded a special episode of the Joe Mahler Will See You Now podcast. When asked by the retired rugby star to introduce himself, the Duke raised eyebrows by using his full, formal title: “Henry Albert Charles David, Duke of Sussex”.
Diana allowed Arthur and Albert to be used as middle names instead for William and Harry (Image: Getty)
The move marked one of the only times the public has heard the Prince refer to himself by his full legal name, having been known simply as ‘Harry’ since childhood. His first name was chosen by Princess Diana, who also fiercely protected her choice of ‘William’ for the Prince of Wales.
According to Andrew Morton’s explosive biography, Diana: Her True Story, the late Princess of Wales was unyielding about what her children would be called. She is quoted as saying: “He [Charles] wanted Albert and Arthur, and I said no. Too old.”
Further interviews revealed that while there “weren’t fights” over the decision, Diana simply delivered a firm “No thank you” to the future King’s traditional requests. Eventually, a tense compromise was struck. While Charles lost the battle for their first names, Diana allowed Arthur and Albert to be used as middle names instead.
Prince William’s full name became William Arthur Philip Louis, while Prince Harry’s became Henry Albert Charles David – a nod to King George VI (born Prince Albert) and Diana’s own grandfather.
Years later, Catherine found herself in a similar predicament with her firstborn, Prince George (Image: Getty)
The compromise appears to be a running trend for royal parents. Years later, Catherine, Princess of Wales, found herself in a similar predicament regarding her firstborn, Prince George.
Royal author Russell Myers revealed in his book William & Catherine that Catherine initially “had her heart set on” the name Alexander. Ultimately, on this occasion, it was the then-Duchess of Cambridge who compromised, allowing George to take the lead while Alexander was relegated to a middle name, resulting in the young Prince’s full legal name being George Alexander Louis.
During the emotional interview, Harry also opened up about how Diana’s hands-on parenting style influences the way he raises Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet today, revealing that he hugs his children “extra tight” after difficult days, just as his mother used to do for him.
