Britain’s Prince Harry Considered Dropping Royal Name In Favor of Mother’s Family
In a surprising revelation, the Guardian newspaper has reported that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan explored the possibility of changing their family name to Spencer – the surname of Harry’s mother, the late Princess Diana. This came amid months of delays in their two children receiving British passports.
According to the report, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex seriously discussed abandoning the royal surname of Windsor-Mountbatten in favor of adopting the Spencer name. This would have effectively cut ties with the Windsor family dynasty and Prince Harry’s direct lineage to the British throne.
The motivation behind this potential name change appears to be rooted in the couple’s ongoing tensions with the royal family. After stepping down as senior working royals in 2020 and relocating to California, Harry and Meghan have been embroiled in a highly publicized rift with Buckingham Palace.
By considering the Spencer name, the report suggests the couple may have been seeking to distance themselves further from the institution they departed, as well as asserting their independence and aligning more closely with Harry’s maternal heritage. The Spencer family has long held a respected position in British aristocracy.
However, the report indicates that the name change idea was ultimately abandoned, and Harry and Meghan’s children – Archie and Lilibet – were eventually issued British passports under the Windsor-Mountbatten surname. The delays in obtaining the passports were reportedly due to administrative issues rather than any direct intervention from the royal family.
This revelation provides a rare glimpse into the private deliberations of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as they navigate their post-royal life. It underscores the couple’s apparent desire to forge their own path, even if it means distancing themselves from the very name that has defined their royal status for generations.
