The Birth of Prince Louis of Cambridge: How His Great Granny Changed the Rules

The world was buzzing with excitement as Prince William and Kate Middleton welcomed their third child, a healthy baby boy, into the royal family.

The new addition, weighing 8 ounces 7 pounds, was named His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge, and he has already captured the hearts of many.

However, what many people don't know is that he wasn't actually meant to be a prince at all.

Back in 1917, King George V decided to limit the number of HRH titles within the royal family.

He ruled that only the monarch, their children, grandchildren, and the Prince of Wales's first grandson could have official titles.

Under these old rules, Prince George would have been the only one to receive an official title, while his younger siblings would have had different titles altogether.

For instance, Princess Charlotte would have been Lady Charlotte Mountbottom Windsor, while Prince Louis would have been Lord Louis Mountbottom Windsor.

However, Prince Louis received his royal title thanks to his great granny, Queen Elizabeth II.

Just before Prince George was born, the Queen issued a letters patent, which is a legal procedure that enables her to make changes without going through Parliament.

The notice published in the London Gazette stated that all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title, and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour.

This announcement was made in 2013 on Kate's 31st birthday when she was pregnant with Prince George.

It meant that all of Prince William and Kate Middleton's children could be Prince and Princesses, including the newest addition to the family, Prince Louis.

This also means that any children born to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be a Lord or Lady, not a Prince or Princess, unless the Queen steps in.

The Queen's decision to change the rules was not unprecedented.

In fact, she did the same thing for her own children.