Japanese zoo sparks fury for naming baby monkey after royal newborn Princess Charlotte

The Takasakiyama Zoo has reportedly apologised over the decision

A Macaque eating a banana. (Getty Images)

A Japanese zoo has reportedly apologised for naming a baby monkey Charlotte in honour of the second royal baby after receiving a number of complaints.

The Takasakiyama Zoo, in southern Japan, provoked anger when it announced the name of the female macaque monkey on Wednesday. The name had been chosen via a public vote, although with only 59 out of 853 people selecting it as their preferred name, it wasn’t quite an overwhelming majority.

The name sparked a backlash from some members of the public, who felt it was disrespectful to the royal family, according to the BBC.

The zoo issued an apology on its website, where it said it was now discussing other possible names.