Why Prince George might ditch his name when he become king

Prince George may be just 12 years old, but he is already facing a royal identity crisis, and it's all part of the job description.

As the second in line to the British throne, the eldest son of Prince William and Kate Middleton could one day ditch his current name and step into history with a brand new royal title.

That’s right, Prince George of Wales might not actually become King George when he eventually takes the crown.

When George was born in 2013, his full name, George Alexander Louis, was chosen with care, steeped in tradition and history.

But as royal watchers know, that doesn’t mean he’ll stick with “George” when he ascends the throne, because picking a regnal name, the official name a monarch uses during their reign, is no simple matter.

For example: King George VI was actually born Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, but chose “George” as his regnal name to bring stability to the monarchy after his brother’s scandalous abdication. Or Queen Victoria, born Alexandrina, who reportedly felt her first name sounded too foreign for a British queen and opted for the now-iconic “Victoria” instead.

So while Prince William is widely expected to become King William V, George has a few choices. 

Most predict he’ll go with King George VII, keeping things simple and stately.

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