Prince William And Kate Middleton Latest Odds-On Names Include Some Famous Royal Monikers

Kate Middleton is only weeks away from giving birth to her third child with Prince William. The couple has kept a tight lid on details so far, but that hasn’t stopped bookies in the U.K. from placing odds on the baby’s name. What will Middleton and William name the newest addition to the royal family?

According to Forbes, betting on the gender and name of Middleton’s baby is at an all-time high. Fans of the family have been reading into every social media post to tease out the sex of the baby. Although Middleton and William are waiting until the birth to find, many royal observers believe that Middleton will have another girl, though the odds are almost dead even for a boy.

As far as the name is concerned, it’s highly probable that Middleton and William will choose something that relates to the royal family.

Right now, Mary is holding the lead for female names with Alice in a close second. Prince Philip, meanwhile, has the best odds if the baby is a boy with Arthur trailing behind. Mary has strong ties with the royal family and was the name Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother. It is also Her Majesty’s middle name. Philip, of course, is the name of Elizabeth’s husband and that new child’s great-grandfather.

Middleton is expected to give birth inside the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in London, which is the same place where Middleton had Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Kensington Palace confirmed the April due date last fall, though officials did not reveal an exact due date. There is a chance that the baby will be born on a significant date, such as Elizabeth’s birthday (April 21), St. George’s Day (April 23), or Middleton and William’s marriage anniversary (April 29).

The new baby will become fifth in line to inherit the crown. Prince Charles is first in line to sit on the throne, followed by Prince William, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. The new child will also bump Prince Harry down the list to sixth in line.

After the birth, the baby will take on the official title of His Royal Highness of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Middleton is expected to give birth within the next few weeks. Workers at St. Mary’s Hospital have already started preparations for their royal guest. This includes installing crowd barriers outside of the Lindo Wing and posting parking restrictions. The hospital also repainted a fence railing outside of the wing where Middleton is expected to give birth.

Middleton is currently enjoying maternity leave and will not appear in public until after the birth. Her last public engagement was back on March 22. After she has the baby, Kensington Palace will make an official announcement on social media while Buckingham Palace will post a special message in its courtyard.

Despite a quick turnaround, Prince William and Kate Middleton are both expected to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding on May 19.