Baby monkey named after Princess Charlotte will KEEP its name

A Japanese zoo which named a baby monkey after Britain's new princess has said the animal will keep its controversial name because the Royal family have not complained.

But now, officials have announced they will stick to their first choice.

Oita mayor Kiichiro Sato endorsed the decision today, saying Charlotte is a very cute name.

Immediately after the decision was announced, the zoo was inundated with protests from some Japanese people saying it was disrespectful, prompting an initial apology.

But the name hadn't received a single vote before Monday, when the name of the Royal Princess was announced.

Votes surged after the newborn princess was named and it topped the ballot in the last three days of voting, which ran from March 27 to May 6.

Zoo official Akira Asano said he was not aware of any complaints from British citizens.

He said the zoo also received support for the name Charlotte and views were largely divided.

City spokesman Kazuyuki Adachi said: 'We have decided to respect the feelings of the people who voted for the name to congratulate the birth of the princess.'

Mr Sato added: '(The monkey) is given a wonderful and cute name, Charlotte. I think we should stick to Charlotte.'

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the matter.

Yesterday, a zoo official said: 'The name was publicly solicited and Charlotte suddenly became the most popular choice with 59 votes out of the total 853 after the British baby princess's name was announced.

'There was no vote for 'Charlotte' before the Monday night announcement.

'Since we announced the name we've been receiving calls and emails from people mostly complaining that it is rude to British people to give a monkey the same name as a member of their royal family.'

Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana was born in London to Prince William and his wife Kate last week, a younger sister to Prince George, who is in line to inherit the British throne.

Kyodo News reported complainants had asked how people in Japan would react if a British zoo had named an animal after a member of Japan's revered imperial family.

Princess Charlotte's birth caused an outbreak of patriotic fervour in Britain, where the press and public lauded her names.

It was seen as a triple homage to her grandfather Prince Charles, great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and William's late mother Diana.

Britain's royals are immensely popular in Japan, where their easy familiarity with the public stands in marked contrast to the austere image of the country's own imperial clan.

A recent visit by Prince William, who left heavily pregnant Kate at home, was covered in minute detail by Japan's media and pictures of him dressed as a samurai lord made headlines everywhere.

Source: Daily Mail UK