The Queen Vetoed Princess Beatrice's Original Name Because It Was "Too Yuppie"

Princess Beatrice was reportedly going to be named Annabel, but the Queen thought the name was "too yuppie" and suggested Beatrice instead.

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ascot, united kingdom october 20 embargoed for publication in uk newspapers until 48 hours after create date and time princess beatrice of york and queen elizabeth ii watch frankel enter the winners enclosure after winning the qipco champion stakes at the qipco british champions day meet at ascot racecourse on october 20, 2012 in ascot, england photo by indigogetty images
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  • Apparently, Princess Beatrice, one of the Queen's grandchildren, almost had a very different name.
  • Beatrice's parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, reportedly wanted to name her Princess Annabel, but changed their minds after the Queen said the name was "too yuppie."
  • Queen Elizabeth reportedly suggested Beatrice as an alternative name. The name is in honor of Queen Victoria's youngest daughter.

Princess Beatrice almost had a very different name, apparently.

According to a report shared by the Mirror, Beatrice's parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson (aka the Duke and Duchess of York), originally had another name in mind of their firstborn daughter. The problem? The Queen apparently thought their first-choice name was "too yuppie" for a royal baby.

There are a lot of traditions involved with having a baby in general, but for members of the royal family, that list of traditions is much longer—and more strict. One of the traditions members of the royal family follow when they're expecting a baby is to have an "informal chat" with the Queen about their name choice to make sure she's happy with it, the Mirror reports.

Usually, the Queen has no issues with name choices and gives her blessing, but when Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson came to her in 1988, that apparently wasn't the case. In fact, "it took two weeks for the Yorks to formally announce her name because of the Queen's concerns," according to the Mirror.

According to the Mirror, the couple wanted to name their daughter Princess Annabel, but the Queen wasn't a fan, shooting the name down as "too yuppie." After she expressed her concerns about Annabel as a name choice, however, the Queen came in with the save and was actually the person to suggest Beatrice as a name, apparently. The inspiration was reportedly rooted in history, as a nod to Queen Victoria's youngest daughter.

Andrew and Sarah took the Queen's advice, clearly, and showed their gratitude by paying tribute to the monarch with Beatrice's middle name. Her full name is Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, honoring both her grandmother and her great-grandmother.

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Kayleigh Roberts
Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.