Kate Beckinsale's father almost changed her name at the last minute
Kate Beckinsale's dad sent a last-minute telegram to the hospital in an attempt to change her name to Gypsy.
The Underworld star's father, Porridge actor Richard Beckinsale, passed away from coronary artery disease in 1979 when she was five years old.
Her mum, fellow actress Judy Loe, was recently digging through their family memories and found a telegram revealing he wanted her to have a far more unusual name.
"My mum has been organising and found this - telegram from my dad to the hospital when I was born," Kate wrote on Instagram next to an image of the message. "They'd been trying to decide between two names , picked Kate and then he must have had buyer's remorse.The compromise in the end was my middle name being Romany (sic)."
The telegram, addressed to Judy at West Middlesex Hospital, reads: "Katie will not do decided on Gypsy much love - Richard."
The 48-year-old star went on to reveal that she went through a similar stage of doubt when she welcomed her 22-year-old daughter, Lily Mo, who she shares with ex-partner Michael Sheen.
"I chose Ruby Tirian Sheen as my daughter's name the whole pregnancy and then when she was born she looked more like a Lily Mo....," she explained. "And then a brief panic right before registering when I wanted to call her Ethel. Funny old life #katewillnotdo."
