Zara Phillips, the Queen’s granddaughter, welcomed her first child, a baby girl, at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on Friday. Zara’s husband, former England rugby player Mike Tindall was by her side for the birth of the little girl, who weighed 7lbs 12oz.
Now speculation has turned to what the royal will name her daughter.
While Zara’s own name is unusual for a member of the British royal family, the 32-year-old and her husband may name their daughter a traditional royal name such as Elizabeth, after her grandmother or Anne after Zara’s mother, Princess Anne.
UK bookmakers have placed odds on a variety of names, including: 3/1 Charlotte, 5/1 Victoria, 6/1 Anne, 7/1 Elizabeth, 9/1 Catherine, 10/1 Emma, 10/1 Isobella, 14/1 Grace,14/1 Sarah, 14/1 Zara, 16/1 Emily, 16/1 Sophie, 20/1 Phillipa, 20/1 Zoe, 25/1 Polly, 50/1 Linda, but the Olympic equestrian rider was overheard telling friends at a rugby match that she was fond of the name “Poppy”. The palace says the baby’s name will be confirmed “in due course.”
In typical energetic form, Zara, who rode her horse until the fifth month of her pregnancy, has already left the hospital and is back at home with her family.
The new royal baby is 16th in line to the throne, and will not have a royal title. The baby is the fourth great-grandchild for the Queen, her other great-grandchildren are Prince George (six months), son of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge and the two daughters of Zara’s brother Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn.
