Prince Harry reportedly explored the possibility of changing his surname to Spencer, seeking to distance himself from the Mountbatten-Windsor name. The Duke of Sussex, now 40, is said to have privately consulted his late mother’s brother, Earl Spencer, during a recent visit to the UK.
However, Earl Spencer reportedly advised against the change, citing potential legal complications. A close friend described the conversation as friendly and supportive, with Spencer recommending Harry not proceed with the name switch.
Currently, Harry’s children use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor—a blend of the royal family’s Windsor name and Prince Philip’s adopted surname, Mountbatten. Had Harry gone ahead with the change, his daughter would have been known as Lilibet Diana Spencer.
The discussion about surnames comes amid ongoing sensitivity around titles and family identity. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, once corrected actress Mindy Kaling during a Netflix show, saying, “It’s so funny you keep saying ‘Meghan Markle’—you know I’m Sussex now.” She added, “I share my name with my children. It just means so much to go, ‘This is OUR family name. Our little family name.’”
The Mountbatten-Windsor name originated when Prince Philip adopted the surname upon becoming a British subject in 1947, renouncing his Greek and Danish royal titles. A decade later, he and Queen Elizabeth II agreed that their direct descendants would carry the combined surname.
While legally changing one’s name requires no formal court approval, using a deed poll is generally advised to update official documents like passports and driving licenses.
Since their 2018 wedding, Harry and Meghan have held the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Before that, Harry was known as Prince Henry of Wales. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, initially held the courtesy titles Master and Miss Mountbatten-Windsor.
Following King Charles’s accession, they were formally recognized as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in line with royal protocol granting princely titles to the monarch’s grandchildren. Archie and Lilibet currently stand sixth and seventh in line to the throne.
