19 January 2024 , 10:13
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It might seem like a no-brainer that Prince William, the first in line to the throne, will be known as William V when the time comes for him to take the throne. But it's not necessarily that simple, and we still don't know what name he will use when he becomes King.
When King Charles acceded to the throne in September 2022, it was quickly confirmed that he would keep Charles as his official name as monarch. The new King followed in the footsteps of his mother Elizabeth, who also kept her first name as what is known as her regnal name.
The regnal name is the official moniker a monarch goes by, and it is most often their first name - but not always. Sometimes they choose a different option - like one of their middle names - to use as their moniker as King or Queen.
Queen Victoria for instance was the first to opt for a different name when she became Queen. She was actually christened Alexandrina Victoria, but when she took the throne she chose to go by her middle name instead.
Her son followed in her footsteps when he became King after her death in 1901, and despite his first name being Albert - what he had been known by as a Prince - he chose to use another of his given names, Edward, as his regnal name.
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Queen Elizabeth II's father also made the swap when he became King, going from Albert - or Bertie as he was known to loved ones - to George VI. He had multiple middle names to choose from having been christened Albert Frederick Arthur George.
This might have been to honour his father, George V, who had been popular during his own reign, and create a sense of continuity after the shockwaves caused by the sudden abdication of Edward VIII, his elder brother.
Prince William was christened William Arthur Philip Louis, so he could opt for any of his three middle names when the time comes. His grandmother is reported to have said "My own of course" when she was asked what regnal name she would choose, and Charles has kept his - so it seems relatively likely that William will do the same, but it still is not entirely certain.
Charles himself was reported to have spent a long time considering his choice of regnal name because the two previous Kings with this name had controversial reigns, and Charles I was even executed in 1649 during the English Civil War.
He was believed to be leaning towards using one of his middle names: George, which would have made him George VII, in a nod to his popular grandfather.
However, in the end, he stuck with his first name, and the Caroleon era officially began - only time will tell if the current Prince of Wales will opt for the title King William V.
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