Ish and Iluvbertie, you are right. "William" is not just from Kaiser Wilhelm. Yes, the illegitimate William the Conqueror indeed had that name, and others as well. And all the direct descendants are indeed direct descendants. I just meant that one might choose a series of names which are less associated than others with the Hanoverian German reign.
And you are right that William was used prior to the Hanovers. I like the name William.
It is excellent when the direct descent is tempered with the arrival of non-German spouses, such as Catherine, the least Germanic of the modern spouses. Not that Germans are all bad, of course! My husband was half Prussian descent and half-Jewish, and the combination was charming and unforgettable.
And you are right that William was used prior to the Hanovers. I like the name William.
It is excellent when the direct descent is tempered with the arrival of non-German spouses, such as Catherine, the least Germanic of the modern spouses. Not that Germans are all bad, of course! My husband was half Prussian descent and half-Jewish, and the combination was charming and unforgettable.