The Name Queen Elizabeth Rejected Before Princess Beatrice Was Born
Princess Beatrice recently celebrated her 37th birthday, but few may know that she almost had a very different name. Back in 1988, when Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were preparing for their first child, they reportedly wanted to name her Annabel. However, Queen Elizabeth allegedly thought the name was “too yuppie” and suggested Beatrice instead.
The name Beatrice, meaning “bringer of joy,” carries royal history, honoring Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice, who became Princess Henry of Battenberg. What may have seemed like an unexpected choice at the time has now become one of the most recognized names in the modern royal family.
Although the monarch didn’t have the final say in royal baby names, Queen Elizabeth was often consulted, which may explain why Princess Beatrice’s full name wasn’t announced until two weeks after her birth in 1988. Her full name became Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, and at birth, she was fifth in line to the throne. Today, she is ninth in line and a proud mother to two daughters, Sienna Elizabeth and Athena Elizabeth Rose, and stepmother to Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s son, Christopher “Wolfie” Woolf.
Princess Beatrice’s family life continues to be a source of joy. Recently, her husband Edoardo celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary with a heartfelt Instagram tribute, calling her “the most beautiful and amazing wife” and expressing gratitude for their journey together.
