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Britain's new prince is first Louis in more than a century

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Britain's new prince is first Louis in more than a century
News

News

Britain's new prince is first Louis in more than a century

2018-04-28 16:55 Last Updated At:16:55

The new prince has a name — in fact three.

The infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles, Kensington Palace announced Friday.

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge pose for a photo with their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. Britain's royal palace said Friday April 27, 2018, the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge pose for a photo with their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. Britain's royal palace said Friday April 27, 2018, the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)

The palace said the baby's full title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.

William and Kate's third child was born Monday, a brother to 4-year-old Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who is almost 3.

Louis — pronounced LOO-ee — is fifth in line to the throne after his grandfather Prince Charles, his father and his older siblings.

The name pays tribute twice over to Prince Charles, who has Arthur as one of his middle names.

The choice also honors Louis Mountbatten, Charles' great-uncle and beloved mentor, who was killed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1979.

The baby is Britain's first Prince Louis in more than a century.

Mountbatten, a great-grandson of Queen Victoria, was His Serene Highness Prince Louis of Battenberg until 1917, when the royal family anglicized its names to avoid anti-German feeling during World War I. He became Lord Louis Mountbatten.

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge with their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. It is announced on Friday April 27, 2018, William and Kate's new son is named Louis Arthur Charles. (John Stillwell/Pool photo via AP, File)

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge with their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. It is announced on Friday April 27, 2018, William and Kate's new son is named Louis Arthur Charles. (John Stillwell/Pool photo via AP, File)

Britain has never had a King Louis, but France had 16 of them before the country's 1789 revolution.

Bookmakers had been doing a brisk trade in bets on the new prince's name, but Louis wasn't among the favorites. The royal couple has used it before, as one of George's middle names.

Arthur, Albert and James had been considered front-runners.

Twitter users with personal connections to the fresh prince's names offered peals of joy.

Author J.K. Rowling's digital publishing company Pottermore noted that the Weasley family in the Harry Potter books had members named Louis, Arthur and Charles.

"Louis Arthur Charles, you were named after three iconic Weasleys," the company tweeted.

England's Blackpool Zoo announced that a baby Bactrian camel born on the same day as Louis has been named in his honor.

Former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson — a noted devotee of the Adidas brand — tweeted: "Young Louis welcome to the world. I'll take you under my wing lad. The Adidas tracksuit is in the post!"

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge smile as they hold their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. Britain's royal palace said Friday April 27, 2018, the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

FILE - In this Monday, April 23, 2018 file photo, Britain's Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge smile as they hold their newborn baby son as they leave the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital in London. Britain's royal palace said Friday April 27, 2018, the infant son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has been named Louis Arthur Charles. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland, File)

KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — Rwanda says it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled and controversial bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some of them to the East African country.

There is even a place ready and waiting for the migrants — a refurbished Hope Hostel in the vibrant upscale neighborhood of Kagugu, an area of the Rwandan capital of Kigali that is home to many expats and several international schools.

The hostel once housed college students whose parents died in the 1994 genocide, this African nation’s most horrific period in history when an estimated 800,000 Tutsi were killed by extremist Hutu in massacres that lasted over 100 days.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged the deportation flights would begin in July but has refused to provide details or say about how many people would be deported.

Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda told The Associated Press on Tuesday that authorities here have been planning for the migrants' arrival for two years.

“Even if they arrive now or tomorrow, all arrangements are in place,” he said.

The plan was long held up in British courts and by opposition from human rights activists who say it is illegal and inhumane. It envisages deporting to Rwanda some of those who enter the U.K. illegally and migrant advocates have vowed to continue to fight against the plan.

The measure is also meant to be a deterrent to migrants who risk their lives in leaky, inflatable boats in hopes that they will be able to claim asylum once they reach Britain. The U.K. also signed a new treaty with Rwanda to beef up protections for migrants, and adopted new legislation declaring Rwanda to be a safe country.

“The Rwanda critics and the U.K. judges who earlier said Rwanda is not a safe country have been proven wrong,” Mukuralinda said. “Rwanda is safe.”

The management at the four-story Hope Hostel says the facility is ready and can accommodate 100 people at full capacity. The government says it will serve as a transit center and that more accommodations would be made available as needed.

Thousands of migrants arrive in Britain every year.

After they arrive from Britain, the migrants will be shown to their rooms to rest, after which they will be offered food and given some orientation points about Kigali and Rwanda, said hostel manager Ismael Bakina.

Tents will be set up within the hostel's compound for processing their documentation and for various briefings. The site is equipped with security cameras, visible across the compound.

Within the compound are also entertainment places, a mini-soccer field, a basketball and a volleyball court as well as a red-carpeted prayer room. For those who want to light up, "there is even a smoking room," Bakina explained.

Meals will be prepared in the hostel's main kitchen but provisions are also being made for those who want to prepare their own meals, he said. The migrants will be free to walk outside the hostel and even visit the nearby Kigali city center.

“We will have different translators, according to (their) languages," Bakina added, saying they include English and Arabic.

The government has said the migrants will have their papers processed within the first three months. Those who want to remain in Rwanda will be allowed to do so while authorities will also assist those who wish to return to their home countries.

While in Rwanda, migrants who obtain legal status — presumably for Britain — will also be processed, authorities have said, though it's unclear what that means exactly.

For those who choose to stay, Mukurilinda said Rwanda's government will bear full financial and other responsibilities for five years, after which they will be considered integrated into the society.

At that point, they can start managing on their own.

Follow AP’s global migration coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/migration

A view of Hope Hostel one of the locations where the asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

A view of Hope Hostel one of the locations where the asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

A view of Hope Hostel one of the locations where the asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

A view of Hope Hostel one of the locations where the asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

A basketball court with a volleyball play ground at Hope Hostel, where U.K. asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

A basketball court with a volleyball play ground at Hope Hostel, where U.K. asylum seekers from the U.K. are expected to arrive in the next 10-12 weeks in Kigali, Rwanda, Wednesday, April 24, 2024. The management of the hostel where the migrants are to stay in, Hope Hostel, says the facility is ready to accommodate 100 migrants. (AP Photo/Atulinda Allan)

FILE - A security guard stands in the reception area of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - A security guard stands in the reception area of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - A bedroom is seen inside the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - A bedroom is seen inside the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - The interior of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, is seen in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - The interior of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, is seen in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - The exterior of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, is seen in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - The exterior of the Hope Hostel, which is one of the locations expected to house some of the asylum-seekers due to be sent from Britain to Rwanda, is seen in the capital Kigali, Rwanda on June 10, 2022. Rwanda government's deputy spokesperson Alain Mukuralinda said Tuesday, April 23, 2024, it's ready to receive migrants from the United Kingdom after British Parliament this week approved a long-stalled bill seeking to stem the tide of people crossing the English Channel in small boats by deporting some to the East African country. (AP Photo, File)

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