Buckingham Palace shares big news!

[AZ-AlphaXi]

His great-great grandfather's name was Albert Frederick Arthur George. He took George as his regnal name.

[ADPiEE]

I love George since it's the patron saint of England...very fitting

[misscherrypie]

Alexander was my pick for the first name. I'm glad that it was selected as a middle name, sort of makes up for the fact that I really was hoping that they wouldn't use George at all.....

All in all, I think George Alexander Louis is a wonderful name.

[Sciencewoman]

Well, I guess those who were hoping for a GAL got their wish, in a way....

(feel free to groan)

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Well, I guess those who were hoping for a GAL got their wish, in a way....

(feel free to groan)

My first thought! My second thought was this.

[angels&angles]

My cat's name is George. He's very excited by this news, trust me.

[Benzgirl]

Not that I'm big on royalty, but I would much rather hear about a new prince than a Kardashian baby.

[AXOmom]

Well as the mother of an Alexander James no less (they would LOVE him in Scotland), I'm happy they included Alexander in the name somewhere.

[ASUADPi]

The newest People magazine had Catherine, William and George on the cover. He's a cute little baby.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Strange but true: technically, Diana was born a commoner as well. The daughters of earls are not members of the nobility, and are styled "Lady Firstname" as a courtesy. See also Lady Marjorie of "Upstairs, Downstairs," daughter of the Earl of Southwold.

Exactly, which brings it back around to the way I phrased it -- from a family that is neither royal nor noble. While Lady Diana was not herself noble, her father/family was.

And yes, born a commoner would be another way to say it. But once Kate had the right to be called Her Royal Highness, she was most certainly not a commoner anymore.


I admire your geekiness.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by Low C Sharp

Strange but true: technically, Diana was born a commoner as well. The daughters of earls are not members of the nobility, and are styled "Lady Firstname" as a courtesy. See also Lady Marjorie of "Upstairs, Downstairs," daughter of the Earl of Southwold.

At the time of her birth, she was styled The Honourable Diana Spencer as daughter of John Spencer (Viscount Althorp) and the granddaughter of Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer.

She became Lady Diana Spencer at the time of her grandfather's death, when her father inherited the title John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

I don't think it's technically true to say that Diana was born a commoner - she was most certainly born into a noble family.

No, it is technically true.

"Commoner" is commonly (no pun intended) used to mean something along the lines of "someone who is a member of a noble or aristocratic family." But in Britain, it legally (technically) means anyone who is not sovereign, not royalty (meaning the consort or child of the sovereign, a grandchild through a son of the sovereign, or the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales), and not a peer. While in continental Europe, the families of the nobility were themselves considered noble, that is not the case in Britain. A duke or earl is noble, but members of his family are all legally commoners, even if no one thinks of them that way. Courtesy titles do not make one noble; only substantive titles do.

I don't think it's a slam to say that Diana was a commoner, or that Kate is. After all, two of the Queen's grandchildren -- Peter and Zara Phillips -- are also commoners (and would be even if their father had been made a peer).

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

No, it is technically true.

"Commoner" is commonly (no pun intended) used to mean something along the lines of "someone who is a member of a noble or aristocratic family." But in Britain, it legally (technically) means anyone who is not sovereign, not royalty (meaning the consort or child of the sovereign, a grandchild through a son of the sovereign, or the eldest son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales), and not a peer. While in continental Europe, the families of the nobility were themselves considered noble, that is not the case in Britain. A duke or earl is noble, but members of his family are all legally commoners, even if no one thinks of them that way. Courtesy titles do not make one noble; only substantive titles do.

I don't think it's a slam to say that Diana was a commoner, or that Kate is. After all, two of the Queen's grandchildren -- Peter and Zara Phillips -- are also commoners (and would be even if their father had been made a peer).

I stand corrected.