

Almost exactly a month ago, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton became an aunt, and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis gained a cousin. It was confirmed on October 16 that Kate’s sister, Pippa Middleton, had given birth to her first child—a healthy baby boy—with husband James Matthews. The arrival of the little one took place in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, a royal favorite where both Kate and Princess Diana have given birth to their own children.
Now, Pippa and James have announced to the world the name of their baby boy, and the rather lovely, traditional selections for their son’s first and middle names have sentimental meanings for the couple. According to Hello! magazine, he’s called Arthur Michael William Matthews. Pretty cute, right?
Interestingly, Arthur was one of the favorites for Kate and Prince William to name their most recent child (although in the end, they decided on Louis, so maybe Pippa had called shotgun on this one beforehand). It’s a name with a rich history of royal connotations, as the middle name of Prince Charles, Prince William AND Prince Harry, too.
As for Michael, that was a decision was almost guaranteed from the outset. It’s both the name of Pippa and Kate’s father and, more poignantly, also the name of James’ late brother, who tragically died aged 22 in 1999. After becoming the youngest person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Michael Matthews disappeared on the descent. As well as this new tribute from Pippa, James’ younger brother Spencer Matthews also gave his son (born in September) the middle name of Michael in his honor.
With all that in mind, it’s pretty much the perfect choice. Welcome to the family, Arthur Michael William! No doubt we'll see you around, being generally adorable with George, Charlotte and Louis at some point in the future.
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Lucy Wood spends most of her time writing about celebrity news, reading books, and waiting for the glorious day that she have enough millions for a pet sloth. She also has a YouTube channel on the go where she pretends to know things about fashion and life advice.
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