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One thing the babe most conspicuously lacked for the time being was a name—or names, since he is bound to have at least four. The royal family has sometimes been dilatory about naming its offspring, and there were hints of nomenclatural disagreements. The presumed favorite was George, after Prince Charles' grandfather (and possibly also for George III who, though known to most Americans as the slightly dotty monarch who let America get away, is considered by Charles to be "a complete idealist and moralist"). The Princess was rumored to prefer a trendier name, like Oliver. Next most likely, in popular opinion at least, were James, on whom the bookmakers gave 7 to 2 odds; William, 5 to 1; Charles, David and Edward, each 7 to 1; and Louis, 8 to 1. Longshots included Henry and Edmund, 20 to 1, Winston, 33 to 1, and Elvis and Canute at 1,000 to 1. Many sentimentalists hoped he would be christened Arthur, after the misty monarch of Excalibur and Camelot.
This future King, at least, will not have to wrest a sword from a stone to demonstrate his legitimacy. His lineage is exhaustively, and sometimes imaginatively, chronicled, and dazzlingly diverse. The boy who will be the 22nd English Prince of Wales is descended not only from William the Conqueror but also from Harold II, the last Anglo-Saxon King, who died fighting William at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, and from Llywelynap-Gruffydd, the last native Prince of all Wales. Other ancestors include Count Dracula and King Cole, Genghis Khan, as well as Vladimir Monomakh, Great Prince of Kiev in the 12th century, Charlemagne, St. Louis (King of France), and on the Queen Mother's side, a plumber's daughter named Mary Carpenter. The pre-Norman Anglo-Saxon Chronicle maintains that he is a descendant of Woden, the Germanic god who gave his name to Wednesday. He is related also to Shakespeare (perhaps), Melesende, Queen of Jerusalem, the Danish Kings Sweyn Forkbeard and Ulf Sprakalegg, George Washington, Jimmy Carter and a 9th century buccaneer named Rollo the Ganger. Nevertheless, he is the most purely British heir to the throne since James I. Some genealogists, sounding like truth-in-labeling analysts, noted happily that he is all of 58.8% British.
Judging from his parents' background and inclinations, the young Prince should be able to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere of a palace upbringing. Indeed, there is every indication, and much hope, that he will grow up knowing a great deal more about beer and soccer than any of his predecessors. Prince Charles is the first of his line to be able to unbend with the crowds, to sense and play on their moods; as a child of the television age, he is camera-wise and quick with the one-liner. "Nice one, Charlie! Give us another," they shouted outside the hospital. "Bloody hell," he riposted. "Give us a chance." As a result, he has been called the "people's Prince." Certainly, he has shown more than ex-officio concern for common folk.