Like it or not, the royal family have more often than not followed royal protocol when it comes to anything involving the monarchy, as it is an institution that prides itself on tradition. Kate Middleton, having been raised in a middle-class British family, has shown, however, that while she may hold the title of “The Duchess of Cambridge” brilliantly, she does so with her own sense of style. William and Kate have managed to infuse the oftentimes stuffy monarchy with a 21st Century modern sensibility. With the whole world waiting for the arrival of the newest royal baby, we are left wondering if the modern Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will follow royal protocol on the royal baby traditions, or will they put their own spin on raising the royal tot?
Royal Baby Names
As all royal watchers and speculations have noted, William and Kate will undoubtedly give the royal baby a regal and royal name. This baby isn’t going to be a Tiffany (although she would wear Tiffany). It is fairly safe to speculate that the royal baby’s namesake will give a nod to the Queen Mum or Queen. More exciting is the question of whether the royal baby, if a girl, will pay homage to Diana or to the baby’s other grandmother, Carol, Kate Middleton’s mother.
I concentrate more on the possibility of a royal daughter because of the media speculation about Kate slipping up while accepting gifts from well-wishers, supposedly referencing “daughter.”
The royal baby could just as easily be a prince, and if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a boy, the royal baby name will be more of a surprise, I predict. With William having the gigantic formal name, William Arthur Phillip Louis, the royal prince would have a similiar mile-long regal list of names, which could include Charles, Phillip, or George after the grand and great grandfathers.
Title
The royal baby will inherit the title the Prince or Princess of Cambridge. Since the Queen explicitly changed the royal sucession protocol and tradition in 2011, it does not matter whether William and Kate have a girl or boy- the royal baby will be third in line for the throne, behind grandfather, Prince Charles, and William and will one day be the King or Queen.
Child Rearing
In the past, royal babies were oftentimes accompanied by royal nannies, but Diana was an earthy mother and hands-on with Prince William and Harry, taking them along on royal engagements. I can definitey envision Kate being the same as Diana and even being moreso modern and motherly. I would not be surprised if we see the Duchess of Cambridge working with one hand, while carrying the royal baby with the other. Kate will definitely change diapers and read bedtime stories. She is down-to-earth like Diana was- that is why we love Kate Middleton. She is the girl next door.
I would love to see Kate have a daughter and the monarchy have a modern Queen in the future. Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, and while she has been a strong female leader for her time, she embodies the traditional and unwavering protocol for which the monarch is criticized. With Kate Middleton as mum, the future Queen would undoubtedly be an educated, stylish, independant, yet lovable, sovereign.
As royal watchers anxiously await the arrival of the royal baby, one thing is for sure–the royal baby is sure to have a royal reception!
