Why do monarchs change their names when they become king or queen?
The question is WHY, Rachelle, but nice job copying and pasting. The reason why is many and it is entirely dependent on the person or family. One reason is tradition: In Denmark, kings alternate between Frederick and Christian because a pattern just developed and then it “stuck”. The Queen of Denmark takes the place of a Christian, her father was a Frederick and her son is a Frederick. Most of these individuals are born with those names though, so they don’t exactly change. Another reason is to honour a beloved or acclaimed predecessor: Pope John Paul II chose that name because the previous and immediately preceding pope of that name had a very short reign of around 30 days, I believe. John Paul II chose to honour John Paul I because of his gentle nature. Another reason is to reflect the culture of a people: When Prince William of Denmark was called to the throne of Greece, he took the name George I because George in its Greek form is a common, solid name in Greece. Also when Prince Ch
