The royal family has enjoyed a bountiful few years when it comes to new additions to the Windsor – but it does make choosing a name a little harder.
Princess Beatrice and her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their first child together, they announced via Buckingham Palace announced this morning, with royal watchers already speculating on their choice for a name.
The Queen‘s granddaughter, 32, who tied the knot with the Italian property developer in September 2020, are expecting the baby in autumn 2021.
Sarah – the name of Beatrice’s mother Sarah Ferguson – is leading as bookies’ favourite with Betfair putting it at 8/1 if the little one is a girl, while Ladbrokes have Florence at 4/1, perhaps a tribute to Edo’s Italian roots.
If the new baby is a boy, Philip is the most likely choice, also at 8/1 as Beatrice may pay tribute to her grandfather who died earlier this year, aged 99.
Princess Beatrice and her husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their first child together, they announced via Buckingham Palace announced this morning, with royal watchers already speculating on their choice for a name. If the new baby is a boy, Philip is a likely choice as Beatrice may pay tribute to her grandfather who died earlier this year, aged 99. Philip and the Queen are pictured at the couple’s wedding in January
The couple tied the knot in a surprise secret wedding at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, in the grounds of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s home of Royal Lodge, in Windsor Great Park on 25 September 2020.
The moniker would also follow in the tradition of the two latest royal great-grandchildren.
In February, Beatrice’s sister Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank welcomed August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, while their cousin Zara and her husband Mike Tindall also welcomed a boy, Lucas Philip Tindall earlier this year.
Bookies have also speculated that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will call their daughter Philippa in tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, with odds slashed to 3/1.
Like Lucas, August, and Archie, the new baby won’t have a title as only grandchildren of the monarch’s are given HRH monikers.
Her baby boy or girl will be born 11th in line to the throne, and although their mother is a princess they will be plain Master or Miss Mozzi – and will also be a half-sibling and will also be a half-sibling to Edo’s son, Wolfie.
For a girl, other names are speculating for baby Mapelli Mozzi could be Lily, a tribute to the Queen, whose nickname was ‘Lilibet’ as a young princess.
The nickname was given to Her Majesty as a child and is used by her closest family members, including the late Duke of Edinburgh throughout their 73-year marriage.
Other names such as Anna (10/1) and Emily (10/1) remain solid choices, while Grace (18/1) and Alexandria have also been speculated.
The baby will be the second grandchild for Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s eleventh great-grandchild – being born shortly after Baby Sussex.
However, the pair may opt for names with Edo’s Italian roots. While Alexandria or Alexander is a traditional name for royal babies, its possible the couple will put an Italian twist on it and name their child Alessandro, after Edo’s father, an Olympic skier – which is currently at 16/1.
Marco, is also among the favourites according to Betfair, at 11/1, while Albert – a variation of Edo’s brother Alby is also on the list at 25/1.
If the new baby is a boy, Philip is a likely choice as Beatrice may pay tribute to her grandfather who died earlier this year, aged 99. The moniker would also follow in the tradition of the two latest royal great-grandchildren. Beatrice and Edo are pictured at Philip’s funeral
Prince Philip’s granddaughters Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall both paid tribute to their beloved grandfather by naming their newborn sons after him. Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, who married in October 2018, named their first child, a son born in February, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. Pictured, the couple with their son in an Instagram snap
A month later her cousin Zara Tindall and her husband Mike welcomed a boy, Lucas Philip Tindall. Pictured, the couple. They have not yet shared a photo of their son
Edo’s first son, who he shares with ex-fiancee Dara Huang, is called Christopher Woolf, and known affectionately as ‘Woolfie’.
He may have been named after Christopher Shale, a former Conservative MP and Edo’s stepfather, who died five years before Woolfie was born.
Diana may also be an option, as it’s Edo’s mother’s middle name, and the name of Beatrice’s aunt.
His mother is Nicola ‘Nikki’ Williams-Ellis, was born Nicola Diana Burrows.
Ladbrokes have put Theodore (9/2) as the early favourites in the betting, while Arabella is a 5/1 shot, with Cecilia (6/1), Julius (6/1) and Francesco (6/1) also close behind.
Other choices include traditional names with an Italian twist, including Isabella, Arabella, Ottilie, Gabriella and Ophelia.
For a boy Ladbrokes rate Julius, Francesco, Benedict and Alexander as popular choices.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes told FEMAIL: ‘The latest odds suggest Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo will opt for a traditional name with a nod to the latter’s Italian roots, and as things stand it’s Florence and Theodore leading the way in the betting.’