July 13th would be perfect for a Queen Alexandra

Hundreds of photographers, camera crews and reporters are camped outside St Mary's Hospital in Paddington waiting for a glimpse of the Duchess of Cambridge who is due to give birth there any day now.  Today is of course the day that doctors think the future monarch will be born but like all first time mothers, Kate will know that it could be up to a fortnight from now before the royal baby makes an appearance.  Unlike all other first time mothers, she'll have the world watching as she arrives at the hospital to give birth, intimidating in anyone's book.

 

St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London is about to become the birthplace of a future monarch for the second time.
(photo Stephen McKay)

But if this future king or queen does arrive today, perhaps history gives us a pointer as to what they might be called.  On this day in 1249 Alexander III was inaugurated as King of the Scots.  The seven year old had become king six days earlier on the death of his father, Alexander II, and while his early reign was characterized by the usual infighting between advisers struggling for control of the boy king and his kingdom, his later reign was seen as stable, strong and powerful and his death and the instability that followed was widely mourned.

The inauguration of Alexander III as King of Scotland in July 1249 at Moot Hill, Scone

 

 

Alexandra has long been a favourite with the bookies for a future queen regnant - mostly because of its links to queen consort, Alexandra of Denmark, and who gave her name to the future Queen Regnant Elizabeth II who was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.  It's also got great Scottish links and if baby does arrive on the anniversary of Alexander III's christening then it could gain even more ground in the race to name a future monarch.

 

 

Alexander III is remembered with a statue at St Giles, Edinburgh

 

 

But what about a King Alexander?  It doesn't appear in most bookies' listing as a possible name for a future king but with its royal precedents in Scotland, it could be an overlooked outsider.  However, it does have recent sad memories for the royal family.  Queen Consort Alexandra's last child was a son called Alexander John who died within a day of his birth.  But Alexander is a popular name in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland at the moment and its use for a future king would keep with tradition while setting a personal seal on the monarchy for Queen Consort in waiting, Kate Middleton.