IF THE Prince of Wales were to adopt the title of George VII he would be the fourth of the past six monarchs to rule under a name by which he was not commonly known.

The practice is regarded by royal genealogists as relatively modern. The monarch can choose to change title without the consent of Parliament or the prime minister.

The tradition began with Queen Victoria. Her mother, Victoria, the Duchess of Kent, wanted her also to be called Victoria. But the Prince Regent, out of deference to his cousin, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, insisted that she be named Alexandrina Victoria. When William IV died in 1837 the new young Queen opted to be known by the name that her mother had wished for her. She was the first Queen Victoria and her 64-year reign makes her the longest-serving monarch. Her eldest son, who was christened Albert Edward, followed his mother in choosing to reign under his second forename. Queen Victoria had always intended her son, known as Bertie, to become King Albert Edward I. But on his succession he decreed that he would be crowned Edward VII because he wanted his father to be the only Albert to be remembered in history.

Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales, was known as the Playboy Prince. For 12 years he had an affair with Alice Keppel — the great-grandmother of Camilla Parker Bowles — who was at his bedside when he died in 1910. When Camilla, then 25, met Prince Charles for the first time, she is reputed to have said: “Our ancestors were lovers. So how about it?” He was succeeded by his second son, George V, who reigned under his given name. Edward’s first son, Prince Albert Victor, had died in 1892 putting George Frederick Ernest Albert directly in line to the throne. His wife, Princess May of Teck, had been christened Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes. She was known as Queen Mary. The next monarch to rule under a title by which he was not commonly known was Edward VIII. Although baptised Edward, the King was known to friends and family as David, the last of his seven forenames. Edward’s reign lasted only 325 days because of his refusal to give up Wallis Simpson, his American lover, who had been twice divorced. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George, the Duke of York. He had never expected to be King and chose to rule under his fourth christening name, George. In private Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother referred to the King as “my beloved Bertie”.

The King’s eldest daughter was christened Elizabeth Alexandra Mary after her mother. Before marriage the Queen Mother was Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons. In February 1952 the Princess became Elizabeth II. Patrick Cracroft-Brennan, from Cracroft’s Peerage, said that the decision to change regnal titles was a matter for the new monarch and no one else. “They of course consult their ministers and the prime minister of the day. But it is a personal decision,” he said. “They would by convention choose one of their own forenames.

“I think Prince Charles would be much more likely to go for George rather than his other two forenames. He would be the first King Arthur and be the first King Philip. I think George VII sounds better. It is a popular name within the Royal Family and would be a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, whose husband also chose the same regnal title.”

Roots in the past

GEORGE

The name of England’s patron saint is originally derived from the Greek name Georgios, meaning “farmer” or, more literally, “tiller of the earth”.

The name was rare until the house of Hanover came to power in 1714, whereupon Georges ruled for 116 unbroken years.

CHARLES

Ultimately derived from the Old German word karl, meaning “man”, with the additional implications of valour and self-governance.

The historic bearer of the name was the Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne.

The soldier, the sailor and the farmer

George I

Born 1660, reigned 1714-1727

The first of the Hanoverians. Succeeded to the English throne on the death of Queen Anne. Never learnt English and spent most of his reign in Hanover. The post of Prime Minister was created to cope with his long absences from England and first occupied by Robert Walpole. George arrived in England without his wife, Sophia, who had been imprisoned for adultery, but with two mistresses.

George II

Born 1683, reigned 1727-1760

The last British king to command his armies on the battlefield, defeating the French in 1743 at Dettingen. Loved opera, notably Handel. Allowed his domineering and intelligent wife, Caroline, huge influence over affairs of state.

George III

Born 1738, reigned 1760-1820

The first Hanoverian born in England and speak the language. Best remembered for his madness, now ascribed to porphyria. George III oversaw the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, after his brothers married in secret, which gave the Soveriegn veto power over marriages of most lineal descendents of George II. Known as “Farmer George” because of his interest in agriculture.

George IV

Born 1762, reigned 1820-1830

His marriage to a Catholic in 1785, secret and without his father’s permission, was subsequently declared void. Had many mistresses and such hatred between him and his second wife, Caroline, that she took their daughter Charlotte to Italy in 1796, returning only in a vain attempt to be crowned Queen. George barred her from his coronation.

George V

Born 1865, reigned 1910-1936

Ascending the throne during the 1910 budget crisis, George V also ruled through the First World War, during which he replaced the family name, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, with Windsor. A professional naval officer. Started the tradition of the monarch’s annual Christmas broadcast in 1932.

George VI

Born 1895, reigned 1936-1952

Succeeded when his brother, Edward VIII, abdicated. George VI had a terrible stammer, which compounded his natural shyness.

A well-loved king who ruled through the Second World War, George went as far as practising firing his revolver, saying he would defend Buckingham Palace to the death.

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