There are a few points in regal life when the words ‘’bookies’’ and ‘’royal’’ come together in perfect harmony. One is at the races because the Windsors, like many, enjoy a flutter (always sensible) on the horses. The other is when babies arrive. As the final countdown to the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s first child gets under way, the bookies have odds on all sorts of maternity matters – but can they give us any clues as to the new seventh in line to the throne?
Boy or girl?
No messing around here, there are two options and one has to be the most popular if only by a margin. Like just about everyone who has had any opinion at all about Baby Sussex, the bookies think that Harry and Meghan will be welcoming a daughter as their first born. At the moment, around two thirds of punters placing a bet on the royal baby’s gender are opting for girl.
Baby Name
Ah yes, the name. The bookies are as much a part of royal baby name guessing now as any regal family tree for we know those taking our money don’t like to give it away nearly as much and so offer the shortest odds on the monikers they think most likely to be chosen.
Right now, the widely held belief that Meghan and Harry will have a girl is reflected in the top picks for a baby name with Diana still leading the way.
The name of Prince Harry’s late mother is a favourite for the new royal baby with many bookies and some have it as 3-1. Its closest rival as the Sussex pick is Victoria (the best you’ll get there right now is 10-1) followed by Alice which is usually the hot favourite for a girl’s name whenever the Duchess of Cambridge enters the Lindo Wing.
Most fancied boy’s name is Arthur followed by James, Henry and Spencer – another nod to Diana. At the other end of the spectrum, the real outsiders include ‘Thor’ for a boy and ‘Kylie’ for a girl – given that Harry and Meghan confirmed their happy baby news at the start of their visit to Australia, let’s not rule anything out.
We do know that unless the Queen decides to take our minds off Brexit by issuing new Letters Patent in the coming week, Harry and Meghan’s baby won’t have a royal title.
Arrival date
The royal mum to be confirmed earlier this year that her baby was due in ‘late April or early May’. However, the latest odds show that punters think the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be showing off their little one sooner than that. A pre Easter baby is the top pick right now and although that celebration falls relatively late this year (on April 21st), if those predictions are correct then we’ll be welcoming baby Sussex in just a few weeks’ time.
And Royal Central will, of course, bring you all the latest news on the royal arrival as it happens.