With Duchess Kate Middleton ready to give birth in the near future, this royal pregnancy is getting more and more attention.
And it appears that Prince William may have dropped a massive hint about whether they’re expecting a little prince or a little princess.
Is this a major royal gaffe?
Like a large number of people, Prince William is a fan of sports.
Specifically, he enjoys soccer, which is called “football” in … well, outside of the United States, where soccer is popular even among adults.
The Prince is a fan of the Aston Villa Football Club, and celebrated Jack Grealish’s successful and dramatic win for his side when he played against Cardiff City.
In his enthusiasm, it appears that he let something slip about his third child with Kate Middleton.
Referring to Grealish’s skill on the field and accomplishments during that particular game, William told fans:
“I’m going to insist the baby is called Jack.”
After a brief pause, in which he may have realized what he had said, he added:
“…Or Jackie.”
Is this a huge reveal and therefore a major royal gaffe?
It is difficult to tell, but many believe that Prince William accidentally leaked his child’s expected sex.
When one is excited, even a royal who has been schooled from birth to keep things private can have a loosened tongue.
That would certainly shoot down rumors that Kate Middleton is expecting twin girls. (Everyone loves a twin story)
But we should mention that it is also possible that was entirely joking about the name “Jack” and only threw in the “Jackie” line so that people would not jump to conclusions.
Obviously, that did not work out the way that he may have planned.
As for the name itself, well, regardless of the little one’s sex, Prince William is probably joking.
Even regular, non-royal people need to be thoughtful about the names that they give to their children.
If we all just picked the names of people we admire for our children, it could backfire when prospective employers refuse to interview someone named “Magneto” or decline to hire yet another “Carrie Fisher” because they already have a dozen and it’s already creating confusion at the office.
For royals, the pressures when it comes to names are even more intense.
Look at William’s children’s names: George and Charlotte.
George is a traditional name in his family, and St. George is said to have slain Britain’s last dragon, and is the patron saint of England.
Charlotte is another name from his family, most notably of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz. Also, the name Charlotte has its roots in Charles, the name of William’s father.
So it seems likely that whatever name they choose for this royal baby, it won’t be “Jack.”
(Probably for the best, since when people outside of the UK think of a famous British person by that name, they’re likely to think of Jack the Ripper)
This baby … who seems more and more likely to be a little prince … will probably have a name with a rich royal history.
A name deeply entrenched in British culture.
A name hich, zero offense to anyone named “Jack,” will probably have a less common air to it.
Now is more or less the right time for the couple to introduce a new child into the family.
Princess Charlotte just started preschool, so a new baby will be slightly more manageable.
And the child is also close enough in age to Charlotte and even George that they won’t feel like strangers from different generations.
They may or may not be playmates, but that will have more to do with personality and interests than it has to do with their ages.
We’re all looking forward to the birth of this next royal baby.
Even if it does end up being “Prince Jack.”
