LONDON (AP) – Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, may have hidden their plans for their future baby, but that did not stop the British from trying to guess the sex and sex. name of their first child.
If British bookmakers are to be believed, it's definitely a girl – and Diana could be one of her many names.
The William Hill agency closed the bets on the baby's sex a few days ago after an "avalanche" of bets poured in from people convinced that the royal couple had a daughter.
"The secret is unveiled, as far as we're concerned," said cabinet spokesman Rupert Adams. "This may be due to the fact that someone saw the scan or that someone heard something."
While Adams acknowledged that there was always a chance that the rise was not based on anything, he explained that the average structure of bets over the years suggests that rumors usually contain some truth.
So far, Diana is at the top of the bookmakers' standings – William Hill has placed the odds at 4/1. Victoria, Alice, Grace and Elizabeth are close behind, while Albert, Arthur and James are popular assumptions for a boy.
"A ridiculous number – 80% of the bets taken – is for Diana's name," Adams said. He said he personally doubted that Harry would choose a name that so directly evokes the tragic death of his iconic mother in 1997, but he added: "There is every chance that it will be a first name."
Carolyn Harris, a Royal Historian who teaches at the School of Continuing Studies at the University of Toronto, agrees that Diana could be a name. That's what Harry's brother, Prince William, and his wife Kate did for their daughter, Princess Charlotte (the full name of the 3-year-old is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana).
"The choice of Diana as a first name would put a lot of pressure on the royal baby, because the press would constantly compare her to her famous grandmother," she said.
Harris believes that Harry and Meghan could take a similar approach to naming other newly born royal children down the line of succession: choosing a traditional nickname, but one that does not often appear in the royal family.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Commonwealth 2019
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Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex (left) and British Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, participate in an event at Canada House, the offices of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom, on the occasion of Commonwealth Day, in central London 11, 2019. – Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth, was at the head of the Commonwealth throughout her reign. Organized by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual interdenominational gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should show CHRIS JACKSON / AFP / Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex (4L) and British Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (C), take part in an event where young people presented the springtime tradition of making maple pulls Canada House, the Office of the High Commission of Canada. in the United Kingdom, at an event marking Commonwealth Day, in central London on March 11, 2019. – Queen Elizabeth II of England, was at the head of the Commonwealth while at the along with his reign. Organized by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual interdenominational gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Chris Jackson / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should show CHRIS JACKSON / AFP / Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Karwai Tang / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein / WireImage)
British Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex (2R) and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (CL) march with Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette (2L), as they leave Canada House, the offices of the Canadian High Commission to the United Kingdom, after attending a Commonwealth Day event in central London on March 11, 2019. – Queen Elizabeth II of England been at the head of the Commonwealth throughout his reign. Organized by the Royal Commonwealth Society, the Service is the largest annual interdenominational gathering in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Daniel LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) (The photo credit should read: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP / Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford / GC Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford / GC Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein / WireImage)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford / GC Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford / GC Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. The event introduced and celebrated the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert / British Press via Getty Images)
Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Janice Charette, presents baby gifts to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex London, England. The event will present and celebrate the diverse community of young Canadians living in London and the UK. (Photo by Chris Jackson – WPA Pool / Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event at Canada House on March 11, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Neil Mockford / GC Images)
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She also thinks that one name might be Ruth – after one of Meghan's great-grandmothers, as well as Diana's maternal grandmother, Lady Ruth Fermoy.
Some observers believe that Meghan, who has long talked about women's rights, might choose a name that evokes women strong in history – a theory that, according to Harris, has substance.
"A name associated with prominent female historical figures in Britain and / or the United States is certainly a possibility," she said. Eleanor, for example, could pay tribute to Eleanor Roosevelt and Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England in the 12th century.
Harry and Meghan have not announced the baby's sex or the expected date of delivery, which is generally presumed to be in late April.
The couple said Thursday that he was keeping the birth secret and would not share the news of the baby's arrival until he had not spoken to his family and friends. This led many to come to the conclusion that they were planning a home birth in their new residence, Frogmore Cottage, near Windsor Castle, outside of London.
Childbirth at home or not, the scenario will be quite different from the media circus that lasted several days outside of the London hospital where were born the three children of their sister-in-law Kate. This will significantly weaken the frenzy of names and genres, according to William Hill, who said he had "hundreds of bets per minute" every time the palace officials announced that Kate had given birth.
Whatever name is chosen, the new baby will not automatically have the official title of prince or princess. These titles were awarded to the three children of William, eldest son of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne.
Instead, the baby of Harry and Meghan should call the Earl of Dumbarton if it's a boy and Lady Mountbatten-Windsor's he's not. is a girl. That said, the child's great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, could change that if she wanted the baby to be a prince or a princess.
Harry's first child will be seventh at the throne, which will bring down Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew.
Some punters laughed with their royal bets. Ladbrokes announced that the name Brexit was associated with 2 pounds ($ 2.60) – with a probability of 500/1. The name Donald is at 250/1. Meghan, as all British tabloid readers know, is not a fan of the current American president.
One thing British betting agencies do not see: a lot of money is placed on unique, bizarre, new age or celebrity-driven nicknames.
"Harry is a traditional guy in the soul, we think he would like a relatively traditional royal name but not absolutely turgid," Adams said.
"(Meghan) would like to pretend to be a royal girl, we think she would not go with a name as weird as" Sunshine, "he added.