In Naming Princess Charlotte, Prince William Poignantly Fulfilled a Long Ago Promise to His Late Mother, Princess Diana

Princess Charlotte of Wales court-side of Centre Court during the men's final on day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London, England.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 23 July 2024

When it came time to name their only daughter, the Prince and Princess of Wales (then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) knew they wanted to honor William’s late mother, Princess Diana, in her name—but also knew it couldn’t be the first name.

“Had it been the first name, I think it would have been terrible for the child,” royal commentator Richard Kay told Vanity Fair. “There would have been constant comparisons with Diana, and William wouldn’t have wanted that.”

Princess Charlotte in 2015 — William and Kate introducing Charlotte Elizabeth Diana to the world in May 2015.

Instead, upon her birth on May 2, 2015, William and Kate opted for the name Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, honoring both Diana—who died when William was 15 years old in a 1997 car accident—and Queen Elizabeth, Charlotte’s great-grandmother. Her first name, Charlotte, is also the female form of Charles, as in her grandfather King Charles (then Prince Charles), and Charlotte also happens to be her aunt Pippa Middleton Matthews’ middle name.

Using Diana as one of Charlotte’s two middle names means that “This way it’s a tribute to his mother and a way of ensuring Diana is always remembered,” Kay added. Diana’s other son, Prince Harry, also opted to honor Diana in the middle name of his own daughter with wife Meghan Markle, naming her Princess Lilibet Diana upon her June 4, 2021 birth.

Princess Diana — Both of her sons honored their late mother in the middle names of their only daughters.

At the time of Charlotte’s birth nine years ago, Diana’s friend Simone Simmons said, per The Daily Express, that the late Princess of Wales would have been “over the moon” with William and Kate’s choice for what would be their only daughter’s name.

“It’s William’s way of honoring his mother’s memory,” she said. “A way of making sure Diana’s legacy lives on. This way, she will never be forgotten.”

Princess Charlotte’s Birthday Photo Features a Touching Tribute to the Late Queen Elizabeth — At nine years old, Charlotte coming into her own.

Simmons added, movingly, that “When Diana was alive, William promised her when he was King [that] Diana would have her HRH restored. This is his way of doing it.”

Indeed, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was given the Her Royal Highness designation at birth—which she will carry for the rest of her life.

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.

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