Royal baby name: Prince Albert now the favourite after frenzy over 'Access Denied' page on Royal Family's website

Lucia Binding27 April 2018

Albert is now the favourite name for the Royal baby after a web page on the official family website sent the public into a frenzy.

Some bookies closed name betting on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s second son on Thursday night, with a Coral spokesman stating: "We are expecting to discover the outcome tomorrow and at the moment Prince Albert looks likely."

The flurry of bets came after observant royal watchers spotted a page that they believed had been reserved for a Prince Albert on the family’s official site.

The message “Access denied” and “You are not authorised to access this page” appeared when trying to access the web address www.royal.uk/prince-albert.

But others believed it was actually just a page set up for those looking for information on Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert.

It prompted a number of Betfair punters to put their money on the moniker.

Kate Baylis of Betfair said: “Since 7pm last night we have seen an incredible amount of bets and money for Albert to be the name for the new prince, so much so that the name is now odd-on at 4/11.

“This follows the media reports of the ‘access denied’ on an apparent creation of a Prince Albert web page.

“This is the shortest odds we have seen for any baby name, with Arthur, the previous strong favourite a long way off at 12/5. It’s now been four days since the birth of the new royal, so the suspense will surely be over soon -and if punters are correct we will have a Prince Albert.”

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams revealed the significance of the name Albert to the royal family.

He told the Standard: “This would be a tribute to H.M. The Queen’s father George V1 actually Albert George and known as Bertie when Duke of York.

“It would also be a nod to the Prince Consort as we now are so interested in the Victorians as Victoria was high on the list if it had been a girl. Their marriage was one of the greatest royal love stories of all time.”

Bookies at Paddypower remain confident that the royal baby name will be Arthur, however.

Spokesman Lee Price said: “We thought it was Harry and Meghan who would be the untraditional royal couple - but it is Kate and Wills who have apparently opted for a Prince Albert.

“The odds on their third child being named Albert have plummeted over the last 24 hours.

“We are now convinced that it’s their chosen moniker, having paid out on Arthur 48 hours ago.”

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