TO KNOW LOU!
To Charles’s godfather killed by the IRA A surprising choice, says royal expert
PRINCE William and Kate have named their new son Louis in a touching tribute to a family member killed by the IRA.
The couple picked the moniker in a nod to Prince Charles’s favourite great uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, who was blown up on his boat in Ireland in 1979.
The new tot is the first Louis in the Royal Family for more than 100 years.
Wills, 35, and Kate, 36, kept the country guessing for four days about his name – twice as long as with their other children George, four, and two-year-old Charlotte.
Their newborn’s full name is Louis Arthur Charles, but he will be known formally as Prince Louis of Cambridge.
Historian Dr Judith Rowbotham described the choice as a “little surprising” but a safe option.
She added: “It’s not a traditional Windsor name but it’s very much an acknowledgement of a wider heritage.” Celebrities and politicians rushed to congratulate the couple on the unusual name.
One Direction star Louis Tomlinson joked that he was sending a gift to his tiny namesake.
He tweeted: “Young Louis welcome to the world. I’ll take you under my wing lad. The Adidas tracksuit is in the post!”
TV critic Toby Earle shared a funny snap of X Factor star Louis Walsh and captioned it: “You look like a prince... You sound like a prince... You ARE a prince.”
First-time punter Alice Gordon, from Horsham, West Sussex, pocketed £4,500 after gambling £250 on odds of 18-1 that Louis would be the royal choice.
She said: “The reason I went for Louis was because my grandson, who was born the day after the Prince, was named Louis.
“I thought I’d go for a cheeky bet as perhaps my Louis would bring some luck.”
Louis is currently the 71st most popular name for a baby boy in England and Wales.
But the name sparked an unlikely Brexit row last night. ITV News political editor Robert Peston declared it a “Remainer name”.
And TV presenter Piers Morgan suggested it was “two fingers to Brexit” because Louis was the name of 18 French kings.
Bookies are now taking bets on the tot’s chances of becoming a top sports star.
William Hill offered 1,000-1 that he would play football for England or 50-1 that he would become a medalwinning Olympian.
The new prince was born at 11.01am on Monday and weighed in at 8lb 7oz – the biggest royal baby in decades.
His parents took him home to Kensington Palace the same day.