PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are eagerly awaiting their new arrival and it looks like they could be set to name their daughter after Prince Philip in a sweet tribute.
Harry’s grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh died aged 99 last month, with Harry returning to the UK from America to attend his funeral alongside brother Prince William and dad Prince Charles.
As Meghan prepares to give birth this summer, bookies have predicted that she and Harry could settle on naming their daughter after Philip – with Philippa now the top name of choice.
According to bookies’ odds by Ladbrokes, Philippa has taken over past frontrunners with Royal nods.
Odds on Harry and Meghan naming their daughter Philippa have been slashed to 3/1, pushing it in front of Diana – the name of Harry’s late mother – which sits at 5/1.
Elizabeth, which would honour the Queen, is now at 10/1.
“Royal fans are increasingly hopeful that Harry and Meghan will name their daughter Philippa, and we’ve been forced to cut the odds accordingly as it’s the only name punters are backing right now,” said Jessica O’Reilly, a spokesperson for Ladbrokes.
“It certainly wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Diana is used, though it seems more likely it will be a middle name.
“Elizabeth is also proving a popular bet, with royalists thinking it could be an olive branch from the couple to Her Majesty.”
Prince Philip has already had several of his great grandchildren named after him, as both his granddaughters Zara Tindall and Princess Eugenie named their sons after the Duke.
Zara and her husband Mike Tindall named their one-month-old son Lucas Philip Tindall, while Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank also gave their son the middle name Philip.
August Philip Hawke Brooksbank was born in February.
Predictions Harry and Meghan will follow suit come after the couple made their first TV appearance since their Oprah interview at a Vax Live event over in the US.
Meghan showed off her baby bump as she gave a televised speech where she addressed her second pregnancy. She and Harry are already parents to two-year-old son Archie.
“My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter,” she said.
“It’s a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world. When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and the support to lead us forward.”
Meghan continued: “Their future leadership depends on the decisions we make and the actions we take now to set them up, and set all of us up, for a successful, equitable, and compassionate tomorrow.
“We want to make sure that as we recover, we recover stronger. That as we rebuild, we rebuild together.”
Meanwhile, we reveal why The Queen and The Royal Family always carry a handbag or clutch bag.
Plus, here’s how Meghan gave a secret nod to Princess Diana during her first TV appearance after her interview with Oprah.
And Meghan and Harry’s son Archie is starting to count as he turns two years old.
