new princess royal baby

The UK is still abuzz with news about the second royal baby, Princess Charlotte, but there are also some bizarre conspiracy theories emerging. The radiance of Kate Middleton just hours after giving birth has left some suspicious, while others are convinced that the new princess has a secret aunt. Here are five of the strange theories doing the rounds:

The ginger gene

Dozens of red-haired royal fans are convinced that Princess Charlotte is ginger and that is why her head was wrapped in a bonnet during her first public appearance. Numerous people made the claim on Twitter, confident that the new royal baby takes after her uncle Harry. "They covered her head. She's ginger," announced one. "Is Princess Charlotte the newest ginger on the block?" asked another. "Welcome to the ranks if that little tuft of hair is anything to go by! Our kind rock!"

Future of hankies

Several mediums incorrectly predicted the new baby's name and date of birth, but this hasn't stopped other psychics confidently forecasting Princess Charlotte's future. Psychic Sally Morgan, who once worked with Princess Diana, says the new princess will be vocal and tenacious and will "ruffle feathers" when she is older. She will also fly helicopters and planes, love sailing boats, water, surfing and jet skiing – and may suffer from allergies. "She will have a very long life, and be very, very healthy, but she will have allergies, and will suffer from really bad hay fever," Morgan told Now magazine. "So you'll often see her with hankies, sneezing into a hanky or have a hanky close to hand."

False birth date

Pro-Kremlin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda carried claims that it was "impossible" for Kate Middleton to look so good just after she had given birth. Therefore, she must have given birth a few days before she emerged from the Lindo Wing with Princess Charlotte. Several women speaking to the newspaper said the new royal baby looked "too big" for a newborn and that her face was too "smooth and pale". Some said the baby must be three days old, others said she must have been born up to ten days ago.

Surrogate mother

Other women quoted by Komsomolskaya Pravda were convinced that Kate had not given birth at all. "It was a surrogate mother who gave birth but not her," said one. "Kate must have been wearing a fake belly showing to the people that she was pregnant. It is just not real to walk yourself several hours after birth and wave to the public in white dress." The sceptics claimed all new mothers want to sleep for several hours. "This is a fairy tale of a family of show offs," they said.

Secret aunt

Possibly the strangest story to appear on the front page of a magazine was that Kate Middleton visited the US while she was pregnant in December to meet up with Princess Diana's secret daughter. The Globe claims the woman, Sarah, is now 33 and lives in New England. Stranger still, the magazine says Sarah was conceived after a rogue doctor stole one of Princess Diana's eggs (while testing her fertility before she married Prince Charles) and used it to impregnate his wife.

Royal baby prepares for first audience with the Queen

5 May

Three-day-old Princess Charlotte is expected to meet her great-grandmother the Queen today in London.

The royal baby has spent her first nights at Kate Middleton and Prince William's London home, Kensington Palace, but will today expand her horizons.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Princess Charlotte is expected to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace before the Cambridges drive to Anmer Hall, their country home in Norfolk.

Yesterday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge finally ended the months of speculation about their second child's name, honouring William's parents – Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana – as well as his grandmother the Queen.

Royal gun salutes were fired across London in Hyde Park and the Tower of London.

Her Royal Highness the Princess of Cambridge is Queen Elizabeth's fifth great-grandchild and fourth in line to the throne, pushing Prince Harry into fifth place.

She will retain this position, even if her parents have another son, as princes can no longer take precedence over their older sisters under the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act.

One retail expert has already predicted that she will be worth around £150m a year to the economy, predominantly fuelling the fashion and beauty industry.

Bookmakers are said to be facing a £1m payout after Charlotte became one of the most heavily backed names last week. Their attentions have now turned to the Cambridges' choice in godparents.

Prince George has no less than seven godparents: Oliver Baker, Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, Julia Samuel, William van Cutsem and Zara Tindall.

Prince William's cousin Princess Beatrice is currently the bookies' favourite to be godmother, while Hugh van Cutsem Jr is a favourite to be godfather. His daughter Grace is Prince William's goddaughter and was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding.

Royal baby named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

4 May

The royal baby has been named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, as William and Kate look to the recent history of both their families for inspiration.

Charlotte is the middle name of Kate Middleton's sister, Pippa, as well as the feminine form of Charles, the baby's grandfather. It is also the name of Prince William's cousin, Charlotte Spencer.

The new royal baby's middle names, Diana and Elizabeth, pay tribute to the Queen and to Diana, her late grandmother. 

Her official title is Her Royal Highness the Princess of Cambridge, and she may also be known as the Princess Royal when Prince William ascends to the throne. That title, currently used by Princess Anne, is traditionally granted to the monarch's oldest daughter.