Prince Harry and Meghan Markle May Have Broke Royal Tradition by Giving Children New Last Names

KINGSTON, JAMAICA - JANUARY 23: (L-R) Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attends the Premiere of “Bob Marley: One Love” at the Carib 5 Theatre on January 23, 2024 in Kingston, Jamaica. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)

The new last name that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle chose for their two children appears to represent a break from a decades-old royal tradition established by Harry’s late grandparents, though some reports suggest the move shows Harry following in his brother’s footsteps.

The name change came to light this week as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex launched their new website, Sussex.com. While Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet previously had the Mountbatten-Windsor surname, they now carry the Sussex surname instead.

Harry and Meghan’s children began using the new last name after King Charles III’s coronation last year, a person with knowledge about the name change told The Times. It was reportedly a decision intended to “unify” the family of four.

Related: What's the (Multi-Million Dollar) Deal? How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Make Money Now

For years, Windsor was the official surname used for members of the royal family who descended from King George V. But eight years after his granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne in 1952, she and her husband, Prince Philip, “decided that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family,” according to a history of the family name available on the royal family’s website.

“The effect of the declaration was that all The Queen's children, on occasions when they needed a surname, would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor,” the website says.

Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, have received criticism about the Feb. 12 launch of their new website for how it included their coat of arms and their children’s new last names. But according to numerous reports, Archie and Lilibet aren’t alone in deviating from the Mountbatten-Windsor name. Their cousins, the children of Prince William and Princess Kate, reportedly don’t use the Mountbatten-Windsor name at school either and instead have gone by their “Cambridge” surname. They began using “Wales” as their new surname at school last year to reflect their father’s new title, per Hello! magazine.

Harry and William also used the “Wales” name while they were growing up and going to school, according to GB News royal reporter Cameron Walker.

Next: Meghan Markle Cozies Up for Snow Day with Prince Harry Amid ‘Suits’ News