.Kate and William have chosen to name the baby after The Queen and William's late mother, the Princess of Wales
- .Name announced by Kensington Palace two days after the princess's birth - she was born on Saturday morning
- .Charlotte — a name that is French in origin — also a nod to baby's grandfather as it is the female version of Charles
- .The name, which had been joint favourite at bookmakers, is also the middle name of Kate's sister Pippa Middleton
The name of the Princess of Cambridge has finally been revealed to the world as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
In a touching tribute, the little girl, who was born on Saturday, has been named in honour of her grandfather, her grandmother and her great-great-grandmother.
Announcing the name in a statement this afternoon after days of speculation, Kensington Palace said: 'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
'The baby will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge.'
After days of speculation, the name of the Princess of Cambridge has finally been revealed to the world as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided on a name for their daughter shortly after the birth but want to inform the Queen personally before it was publicly released
A princess called Charlotte — a name that is French in origin — is a nod to her grandfather, the Prince of Wales. Charlotte is also the middle name of Kate's sister Pippa Middleton
Tribute: The princess's second names are Elizabeth and Diana, named after William's grandmother (left) and late mother (right)
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge reportedly decided on a name for their daughter shortly after the birth but wanted to inform the Queen personally before it was publicly released.
There is no protocol which says the monarch needs to be consulted about the name of a newborn in the family, and senior royal sources stressed she has no expectation of being informed in person before the princess's name is made public.
However, William, who has grown especially close to his grandmother in recent years, apparently decided to afford her the honour when they met in Sandringham.
Today, the newborn met her great-grandmother, the Queen, when the family left Kensington Palace to embark on a new life in Norfolk, where the monarch is in residence.
They had introduced the little girl – the most senior royal princess to be born for 65 years – to her brother George and to their families yesterday.
The newborn may herald a new generation in the monarchy, but it is customary for royals to look to their past for name ideas. The repetition of names in each generation is at least partly an effort to preserve the continuity of one of the world's oldest institutions.
After days of speculation, the name of the Princess of Cambridge has finally been revealed to the world as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge decided on a name for their daughter shortly after the birth but want to inform the Queen personally before it was publicly released
A princess called Charlotte — a name that is French in origin — is a nod to her grandfather, the Prince of Wales. Charlotte is also the middle name of Kate's sister Pippa Middleton
Tribute: The princess's second names are Elizabeth and Diana, named after William's grandmother (left) and late mother (right)
For weeks, bookmakers had been saying that Alice was the clear favorite. But in recent days Charlotte, the feminine form of Charles, has also swayed at the number one spot.
A princess called Charlotte — a name that is French in origin — is a nod to her grandfather, the Prince of Wales. Charlotte is also the middle name of Kate's sister Pippa Middleton.
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
In royal history, George IV named his only child Charlotte, but she died in childbirth at 21. George III's wife was Queen Charlotte, who was born 1744.
When the baby's older brother, Prince George, was born in 2013, the royal couple took two days to reveal his name, waiting until after Queen Elizabeth II had met her new great-grandson.
The wait over her name has led to a betting bonanza in the past 48 hours, and Charlotte and Alice had been picked at the clear favourites. But outsiders such as Olivia also attracted a sudden flurry of wagers.
A spokesman for Ladbrokes said the betting markets had been in 'total mayhem' with 20,000 individual wagers - some of which were six-figure sums - placed on the bet in the past two days. That equates to more bets than were put on the General Election.
Bookmakers had been 'praying' that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall opt for a name outside of the top seven - which also included Diana Alexandra, Victoria and Elizabeth - to stop them having to pay out millions in winnings.
If the baby had been called Diana as a first name - which had odds of 10/1 - the UK booking industry would have had to have paid out £1 million to winning punters.
Alice remained the most popular for several days. It was the name that Queen Victoria gave to her second daughter, who was the great-grandmother of the queen's husband, Philip. Her granddaughter, also called Alice, was Philip's mother. But Charlotte had crept up the scale in the past 24 hours.
Jessica Bridge from Ladbrokes said yesterday: 'Bookies all over the UK are hoping and praying for any name other than Alice, Charlotte, Victoria, Elizabeth, Olivia, Alexandra or Diana.'
A spokesman for Coral had said: 'The gamble on Charlotte is showing no signs of slowing down and although Alice will be the worst result for us, Charlotte will also prove very costly following the amount of bets we've taken on it.
The Queen was seen driving on the Sandringham Estate today. She is believed to have met with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Kate wore a lemon and white Jenny Packham dress when the couple appeared together on the steps of the Lindo wing on Saturday
The newest Royal was born at 8.34am on Saturday weighing 8lbs and 3oz - less than three hours after the Duchess was admitted to hospital
Kate, who wore a Jenny Packham dress made especially for her, held her little girl who was swathed in a soft wool shawl made by the small, family-run Nottingham company GH Hurt & Son
'We've already paid out a substantial six-figure sum on the royal baby being a girl, so we have our fingers crossed that Will and Kate opt for a name outside the top three in the betting.'
Kate's mother Carole and her sister Pippa were first to have a cuddle with the little princess. They drove through the gates of Kensington Palace at 11.31am yesterday and did not leave until after 6pm.
Charles drove himself down from Highgrove, his private residence in Gloucestershire, with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, to meet the granddaughter he had so desperately wanted.
The couple arrived, smiling and waving, at William and Kate's residence, Apartment 1A, at 12.46pm and stayed for an hour and a half. Charles has openly spoken of his hope that his son and daughter-in-law would produce a granddaughter, saying last year: 'I hope it will be a girl this time.'
Kate’s father arrived at 1.38pm and stayed for three hours. There was no sign of the duchess’s brother, James.
There was also a visit from Kate’s midwife, Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, who was keen to check on mother and baby.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry has said he 'can't wait' to meet his newborn baby niece.
Prince Charles waved as he left Kensington Palace yesterday after spending an hour-and-a-half getting to know his new granddaughter
The Duchess of Cornwall smiled proudly for the cameras as she and Prince Charles left Kensington Palace with Prince Charles yesterday afternoon
Prince Charles told earlier in the week of his desire for a little granddaughter. He was among the first to visit the little princess in London yesterday
Continuing his month-long secondment in Australia, the 30-year-old said his brother's second child is 'absolutely beautiful'.
He was informed of the baby's safe delivery before a public announcement was made in the UK and abroad on the Kensington Palace Twitter account.
The Princess was born at 8.34am London time, which was 5.34pm in Perth where her uncle was eagerly awaiting the news.
Although the Prince had hoped to be in England to greet his newest family member, duty called and he returned to Australia on Monday to resume his four-week placement with the Australian Defence Force.
William and Kate remained behind closed doors yesterday but were keen to pass on their thanks for the thousands of messages of goodwill they have received.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said in a statement: ‘The duke and duchess are hugely grateful for the messages of congratulations they have received from people all over the world. It means a great deal to them that so many people have celebrated the arrival of their new daughter.
‘Their royal highnesses were today visited by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Mr and Mrs Middleton, and Pippa Middleton.’
William and Kate have made clear that the hospital photo opportunity will be their daughter's last appearance for some time.
Kate's mother Carole and sister Pippa were the first of the royal couple's relatives to visit the newborn baby who was brought home to Kensington Palace just ten hours after being born
Carole and Pippa Middleton arrived at Kensington Palace at around 11.30am to meet the baby princess for the first time yesterday morning
Kate's father Michael Middleton arrived at Kensington Palace yesterday shortly before 2pm to meet his granddaughter for the first time
The couple are fiercely protective of their children's privacy and it is likely – apart from the possibility of a family portrait being released in the coming weeks – to be the last time the princess will be seen in public until her christening in three or four months. Even then, that is unlikely to be a public event, with only a handful of photographs released to the media.
One of the reasons that William and Kate have chosen to bring up their children at Anmer Hall in Norfolk is that its extensive private grounds mean visitors can escape the public eye. The ten-bedroom property is on the Queen's Sandringham estate.
This afternoon, as the world waited for the announcement of the princess's name, royal gun salutes were fired out this afternoon across London in honour of the new princess.
Soldiers on horseback rode out in procession through the capital, before dozens of deafening volleys were fired simultaneously from Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
As Big Ben to chime at 2pm, 41 volleys rang out across the park fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery. At the Tower there was a 62-gun salute fired by the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), with an extra 21 volleys for the City of London.
Just before the King's Troop began the Royal Artillery Band played the Stevie Wonder hit Isn't She Lovely, a song he wrote to celebrates the birth of his daughter, Aisha.
This afternoon, as the world waited for the announcement of the princess's name, the little girl's birth was marked by royal gun salutes which were fired simultaneously at Hyde Park and the Tower of London
As Big Ben to chime at 2pm, 41 volleys rang out across the park, which were fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery to mark the birth
Just before the King's Troop began (pictured), the Royal Artillery Band played the Stevie Wonder hit Isn't She Lovely, a song he wrote to celebrates the birth of his daughter, Aisha
The bells of Westminster Abbey also rang out at exactly 2pm to mark the royal birth.
The royal birth was greeted with an explosion of pink, as Tower Bridge and other London landmarks were bathed in magenta light. William and Kate have not yet announced the baby's name.
Kate was admitted to the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital at 6am on Saturday morning, giving birth two-and-a-half hours later.
When news of the baby's birth was announced, chants of 'Princess! Princess!' could be heard outside the Lindo Wing.
At around 12.30 a framed certificate signed by Kate's medical team was placed on an easel outside Buckingham Palace with the same words.
At around 4pm William left the hospital to collect Prince George and returned minutes later.
After being lifted out of the car and put on the ground to walk, George stretched out his arms to be lifted back up by his father before offering a timid wave to the gathered media and fans.
Cheers erupted for the young prince, who has not made a public appearance in the UK since his own birth in 2013, as he made his way towards the Lindo Wing in his father's arms.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have now returned to Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they will set up residence with their new daughter
The Queen is believed to have meet the new princess, her fifth great-grandchild, when the Cambridges decamped to Norfolk today where they have a private home on the Sandringham estate
After walking a few steps holding his father's hand, the one-year-old stretched out his arms to be picked back up by his father before being encouraged to wave to the gathered crowds.
Beaming with pride, William was seen mouthing 'good boy' in his son's ear before giving him a tender kiss on the head.
The pair then disappeared behind the hospital doors to reunite with Kate and the new princess in a scene reminiscent of Prince Harry's birth in 1984 when William toddled up the Lindo Wing steps holding the hand of his father Prince Charles.
When the Duke and Duchess presented their daughter for the first time on Saturday evening, cheers erupted outside the Lindo Wing.
Kate wore a Jenny Packham buttercup-print shift dress that the designer, one of the Duchess's favourites, says was made especially for her, teamed with a pair of nude Jimmy Choos, as she had done when George was born.
After they had returned home a statement on the Kensington Palace Twitter account posted a message from the proud new parents.
'Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank all staff at the hospital for the care and treatment they have all received,' it said.
'They would also like to thank everyone for their warm wishes.'
Prince William showed his son how to wave to the press in his first public appearance in the UK since his birth in July 2013
The 21-month-old clung to his father as he was carried inside the hospital on Saturday to meet his newborn sister, born at 8.34am on Saturday
The baby girl, who arrived around one week late, is three pounds lighter than her big brother was when he was born.
William and Kate's new daughter, a younger sister for Prince George, who was born at the same hospital in July 2013, is fourth in line to the throne.
Although she is unlikely to ever become queen, it is not unheard of for a second child in the direct line of succession to accede to the throne.
The Queen was seen driving on the Sandringham Estate today. She is believed to have met with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Kate wore a lemon and white Jenny Packham dress when the couple appeared together on the steps of the Lindo wing on Saturday
The newest Royal was born at 8.34am on Saturday weighing 8lbs and 3oz - less than three hours after the Duchess was admitted to hospital
Kate, who wore a Jenny Packham dress made especially for her, held her little girl who was swathed in a soft wool shawl made by the small, family-run Nottingham company GH Hurt & Son
Prince Charles waved as he left Kensington Palace yesterday after spending an hour-and-a-half getting to know his new granddaughter
The Duchess of Cornwall smiled proudly for the cameras as she and Prince Charles left Kensington Palace with Prince Charles yesterday afternoon
Prince Charles told earlier in the week of his desire for a little granddaughter. He was among the first to visit the little princess in London yesterday
Kate's mother Carole and sister Pippa were the first of the royal couple's relatives to visit the newborn baby who was brought home to Kensington Palace just ten hours after being born
Carole and Pippa Middleton arrived at Kensington Palace at around 11.30am to meet the baby princess for the first time yesterday morning
Kate's father Michael Middleton arrived at Kensington Palace yesterday shortly before 2pm to meet his granddaughter for the first time
This afternoon, as the world waited for the announcement of the princess's name, the little girl's birth was marked by royal gun salutes which were fired simultaneously at Hyde Park and the Tower of London
As Big Ben to chime at 2pm, 41 volleys rang out across the park, which were fired by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery to mark the birth
Just before the King's Troop began (pictured), the Royal Artillery Band played the Stevie Wonder hit Isn't She Lovely, a song he wrote to celebrates the birth of his daughter, Aisha
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have now returned to Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they will set up residence with their new daughter
The Queen is believed to have meet the new princess, her fifth great-grandchild, when the Cambridges decamped to Norfolk today where they have a private home on the Sandringham estate
Prince William showed his son how to wave to the press in his first public appearance in the UK since his birth in July 2013
The 21-month-old clung to his father as he was carried inside the hospital on Saturday to meet his newborn sister, born at 8.34am on Saturday
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