Diana Is No Longer The Top Choice For Meghan And Harry's Baby's Name. This Is The New Favourite

There’s a new favourite name for Baby Sussex. While just two weeks ago, most thought the royal baby would be named in honour of Prince Harry’s late mother, that’s since changed, according to two U.K. betting firms. Both Ladbrokes and Coral say it’s now more likely Harry and Duchess Meghan will look to honour the Queen with the royal baby’s name.

Ladbrokes says Elizabeth is now firmly in first place, with 6/1 odds, while Diana has dropped to second place at 8/1 after a flurry of bets for Elizabeth, People reports. Why the switch? Well, there’s a possibility Baby Sussex could be born on April 21, which is the Queen’s birthday. “Meghan’s due date is desperately close to the Queen’s birthday and the stars might just align for the latest royal arrival,” a statement from Ladbroke’s reads.

Betmaker Coral has also slashed the odds of the baby being named after Her Majesty. It says Elizabeth is now its favourite after a similar influx of bets, at 6/1, with Diana and Victoria in second at 8/1. Just a few weeks ago, Coral said the odds of Baby Sussex being named Elizabeth were 16/1.

“We’ve been bowled over by this gamble and out of absolutely nowhere Elizabeth is the new favourite to be the name of Harry and Meghan’s first child,” Coral’s Harry Aitkenhead said in a statement. “Royal punters are betting in their droves and they’re clearly convinced that they know a baby Elizabeth is on the way.”

Elsewhere, AOL reports Paddy Power still has Diana in first place, with 3/1 odds. Grace is second, at 7/1, followed by Charles at 13/1 and Victoria, James, Alice and Edward all tied for fourth at 14/1.

Diana was indeed the favourite when HELLO! Canada, Chatelaine's sister publication, asked its readers to vote for what they thought Harry and Meghan would name their first child. Diana took 21 percent of the vote, coming in first place. Perhaps surprisingly, 17 percent of readers thought Harry and Meghan would choose an entirely different name than those floated in stories since Meghan announced her pregnancy. Both Lily and Victoria–both of which would mean Baby Sussex was named after a queen–came in third place with 10 per cent of the vote. Alexander got the most votes when it came to boys’ names, pulling in 8 percent. (If you haven’t voted in the poll, now’s your chance to do so here.)