Prince Harry reportedly considered changing his family name from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer, seeking advice from his late mother’s brother, Earl Spencer, during a private visit to the UK.
According to sources, Harry, now 40, discussed the idea with Earl Spencer, hoping to distance himself from the royal family’s surname and embrace his mother Princess Diana’s maiden name. The conversation was said to be cordial, but Earl Spencer advised Harry against the change due to potential legal complications.
Currently, Harry’s children use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, which combines the royal family’s name (Windsor) with Prince Philip’s adopted surname, Mountbatten. If Harry had gone through with the change, his daughter would have been known as Lilibet Diana Spencer.
The idea of changing family names comes amid ongoing debates about royal titles and identity. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, recently emphasized the importance of sharing a family name with her children, saying, “It just means so much to go, ‘This is OUR family name. Our little family name.’”
The Mountbatten-Windsor surname was first used by descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip after Philip adopted the name upon becoming a British subject in 1947. The Queen and Prince Philip later agreed that their direct descendants would carry the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.
Legally, changing one’s name in the UK can be done through a deed poll, which is recommended for updating official documents.
Harry and Meghan became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex upon their marriage in 2018. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, were initially known as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. After King Charles became monarch, Archie and Lilibet were recognized as Prince and Princess, following royal tradition for the monarch’s grandchildren. Both children are currently sixth and seventh in line to the British throne.
