Celebrity Prince William Prince William Fulfilled a Promise to Princess Diana When Choosing Princess Charlotte’s Name William opted for Diana as Charlotte's middle name for a very understandable reason. By Starr Bowenbank Starr Bowenbank Starr is a News Writer for InStyle. She has worked in pop culture and entertainment since 2017 and has been with InStyle since 2024. InStyle's editorial guidelines Updated on July 24, 2024 @ 03:56PM When it came time to name his and Kate Middleton’s only daughter, Princess Charlotte, Prince William knew that he wanted to honor his mother Princess Diana in some way—but naming her directly after the late royal would be a slippery slope. “Had it been the first name, I think it would have been terrible for the child,” royal commentator Richard Kay told Vanity Fair. “There would have been constant comparisons with Diana, and William wouldn’t have wanted that.” The full name that William and Middleton ended up settling on after the princess’s birth was Charlotte Elizabeth Diana—Diana after his mom, who tragically passed after a car accident in 1997, Elizabeth after William’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, and even a subtle tribute to his father King Charles, as Charlotte serves as the female counterpart to the reigning monarch’s name. Charlotte’s name also gives a subtle nod to the middle name of Middleton’s sister, Pippa. Getty “This way it’s a tribute to his mother and a way of ensuring Diana is always remembered,” Kay added of William and Middleton’s move to choose Diana as one of Charlotte’s middle names. Charlotte has a middle name in common with her younger cousin, Lilibet Diana, whose parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle also used the name as a tribute. Getty William’s choice to name Charlotte after Diana is a moving one, and not just because of the connection to Diana after her death. Before her passing, William reportedly told his mother that he would have her HRH title restored once he became king. “When Diana was alive, William promised her when he was King [that] Diana would have her HRH restored. This is his way of doing it,” Diana’s friend, Simone Simmons said, per The Daily Express, after Charlotte was born. Getty “It’s William’s way of honoring his mother’s memory,” she added. “A way of making sure Diana’s legacy lives on. This way, she will never be forgotten.” Diana’s legacy lives on through Charlotte, who, upon her birth on May 2, 2015, was given the title of Her Royal Highness. Charlotte will keep the HRH title as long as she lives.