Queen Victoria, the great-great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, was born 200 years ago at Kensington Palace – a floor above the present Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s apartments. Victoria was the longest-reigning monarch until our current Queen surpassed her nearly 64-year reign. In addition to being one of the best-known ancestors of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Victoria also gave the modern-day princesses their names.

Victoria’s youngest daughter was herself called Princess Beatrice.

When Prince Andrew was born in 1960, he was the first child born to a reigning monarch since Beatrice’s brith in 1858.

This makes the modern-day Princess Beatrice’s name all the more fitting.

When she was born in 1988, Burke’s Peerage commented : “The reason the Duke and Duchess of York have chosen the name Beatrice is because of their desire to honour the King and Queen of Spain, who are more responsible for making the Duchess feel at home in the Royal Family than any other couple.

“The important Beatrice in royal history was a great-grandmother of the king of Spain, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria.

“It is well known that the king of Spain (Juan Carlos I) was very touched with this honour.”

The 19th-century Beatrice married Prince Henry of Battenberg, and their daughter was named Victoria Eugenie, the namesake of the present-day Princess Eugenie. 

Victoria Eugenie went on to become the Queen of Spain, linking the Spanish House of Bourbon with the British Royal Family. 

Princess Eugenie paid tribute to her great-great-great-grandmother in a recent Instagram post. 

On May 29, the date of Victoria’s birth, Eugenie posted:  “Today marks the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria (1819-1901). 

“She reigned for almost 64 years and I’m very proud to be named after her.”

Princess Eugenie’s full name is Eugenie Victoria Helena, which also honours Queen Victoria’s third daughter Princess Helena.

Eugenie also revealed another surprising link between Sarah Ferguson and Victoria in the social media post.

She said: “The first image is a portrait of Queen Victoria by Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873) @royalcollectiontrust.

“The second is of Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend, who played Victoria and Albert in The Young Victoria (2009) – a film produced by @sarahferguson15.”

Many royal fans reacted with delight in response to the piece of royal movie trivia.

“The Duchess of York’s quiet revolution is also visible in her and her husband’s decision to use only three names instead of the usual five or six. 

“This, in itself, is a departure from royal etiquette and protocol.”

The latest addition to the Royal Family, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, shares also shared this surprise with his second cousin.

Like little Archie, whose name received only a handful of small bets before his birth, Beatrice also made the bookies smile. 

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said at the time: “’Not one punter backed ‘Beatrice’. 

“As far as we’re concerned Princess Beatrice is the best thing to happen to the Royal Family in a long time.”

However, it emerged that Prince Andrew and Fergie’s first choice for a name was not in fact Beatrice at all.

The Sun claimed in 1988 that Duke and Duchess of York wanted to call their first-born Annabel.

However, the Queen, who must approve royal names, rejected the name, apparently calling it too “yuppie”.

Her Majesty is reported to have then suggested the name Beatrice herself.

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