By AFP
Britain’s Prince William and his wife Kate have named their baby son Louis, royal officials said Friday, prompting online comments on popular culture references and even an anti-Brexit message in the unusual moniker.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son Louis Arthur Charles,” said a statement from Kensington Palace, the couple’s London residence.
“The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge,” it said.
The name likely pays tribute to William’s great-great uncle Louis Mountbatten, who was killed by the IRA in 1979, while Charles is the name of William’s father.
But the Daily Mail tabloid pointed out it was also a favorite for French kings and had “a distinctly Gallic royal flavor”.
“In a defiant two fingers to Brexit, William & Kate have given their baby a French name: Louis,” TV presenter Piers Morgan wrote on Twitter.
The French embassy to London tweeted: “We’re delighted that you’ve been given such a lovely French name!”
Louis is currently only the 71st most popular name for a baby boy in England and Wales.
