Royal Revelation: The Last Name Prince William & Harry Used Before Their Weddings Shocks Fans!

The royal family has a history of adopting different surnames.

Before their wedding ceremonies, Prince William and Prince Harry didn’t go by the Mountbatten-Windsor surname. Instead, while they served in the U.K. military during their twenties, they adopted the surname “Wales” as a tribute to their father, who was then the Prince of Wales, which was King Charles III.

Generally, members of a royal family adopt surnames based on their parents’ official titles until they receive their own title. For instance, Prince William and Prince Harry used the surname “Windsor” before marrying Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle respectively, as seen in available photographs.

In a 2009 photo during their military service, the brothers are pictured enjoying a laugh in their green outfits. Their uniforms consisted of undershirts and matching jackets with zip-ups. Each of their uniforms also featured name tags, identifying Harry as “Harry Wales” and William as “William Wales.

Of course, both siblings’ names have gone through changes since then.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d rephrase it like this: In 2011, upon marrying Kate, I, William, was bestowed the title Duke of Cambridge. However, in 2022, when my father ascended to the throne and passed on his title as Prince of Wales to me, I resumed using the moniker Wales once more. Similarly, starting in 2022, our children, George (11), Charlotte (9), and Louis (6), all adopted the surname Wales, aligning with my new title.

Harry and his wife, Meghan, were titled Duke and Duchess of Sussex upon their marriage in 2018. Their first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the year following their wedding. However, since then, it has been disclosed that the couple prefer to use the last name Sussex as a way to feel connected with their children, 5-year-old Archie and 3-year-old Lilibet.

In the second episode of her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” the 43-year-old shared that she decided to share her surname with her children because it holds great significance for her. She explained, “I didn’t realize how much this would mean to me, but it is so special to declare, ‘This is our family name, our little family name.’

Apart from the reasons already mentioned, it’s worth noting that Meghan intends to continue using her title as Duchess of Sussex beyond 2020, as this name holds significant value in her and Prince Harry’s romantic narrative, much like her role on Suits.

In an interview with People on March 3, she mentioned how curious her children are about their parents’ past. They often ask, “Oh my gosh, Mama and Papa, how did you meet?” She added that as they grow older, more details of their love story may emerge, but for now, a significant aspect is that they all share the surname Sussex.

To find out the meaning behind more royal family members’ names, keep reading.

Queen Elizabeth II inherited her first name from her mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (also known as the Queen Mother later in life). The rest of her full birth name, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, were derived from her maternal and paternal grandmothers.

Or more concisely:

Elizabeth II’s first name was shared with her mother, while the remaining parts of her full name came from her maternal and paternal grandmothers.

Additionally, her formal title was Queen Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, Queen of this Nation and of Her other Kingdoms and Territories, Leader of the Commonwealth, Protector of the Faith.

In keeping with tradition, any new member of the royal family needs approval for their name from the current monarch. (Initially, Princess Margaret, Elizabeth’s younger sister, was meant to be named Ann, but their father, King George V, didn’t favor this choice.)

Born as Charles Philip Arthur George, this individual later made history by serving as the longest-reigning heir apparent in Britain. At the age of 73, they ascended the throne after assuming the role of king.

His first name is an ancient one from the royal family, tracing its origins back to the 17th century; on the other hand, Philip was named after his father, who held the title of Duke of Edinburgh.

Prior to turning 21 in 1958, Charles was known as the Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. However, upon reaching this age, he assumed the title of Prince of Wales, a historical designation bestowed upon the eldest son of the ruling monarch.

As a lifestyle expert, I’d say: Born on the 21st of June, 1982, I go by William Arthur Philip Louis – a name steeped in tradition. The ‘Philip’ in my name honors my grandfather, while ‘Arthur’ is a nod to Prince Charles and me. Similarly, ‘Louis’ is a legacy I’ve passed down to my own sons.

In the 1992 book titled “Diana: Her Story“, it emerged that Princess Diana, rather than her husband, Prince Charles, had the final say in choosing the names of their two sons, as she overturned his initial picks.

When asked who picked Harry’s name, Diana responded by saying, “I was the one who chose both William and Harry. However, it was Charles who decided on the rest of the names.” She further disclosed that Charles initially preferred the names Albert and Arthur, but Diana objected, stating they were too old-fashioned.

Following their marriage in 2011, William, along with Catherine “Kate” Middleton, were titled as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Subsequently, upon Queen Elizabeth II’s passing in 2022 and his father Charles’ ascension to the throne, they assumed the roles of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

By the way, they have taken over the roles previously held by Charles, with Queen Camilla now becoming the new Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, and the Earl and Countess of Chester.

Since their wedding, they have held the Scottish titles “Earl” and “Countess” of Strathearn. In Northern Ireland, they are recognized as “Baron” and “Baroness” Carrickfergus.

And that’s not all.

At the time of his birth on July 22, 2013, George Alexander Louis was known as Prince George of Cambridge. However, due to a change in titles, he is now referred to as Prince George of Wales instead.

In my expert opinion, the name ‘Louis’ appears to be a tribute to none other than the esteemed Louis Mountbatten, the cherished uncle of Prince Philip and an influential figure for future King Charles. Tragically, he met his end in an IRA bombing incident back in 1979.

The full name of William and Kate’s daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, carries touching references to several of her family members.

Charlotte, born on May 2nd, 2015, carries symbolism in multiple ways. She shares a name with Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton and her grandmother, but also honors Charles, a family relative. Additionally, Elizabeth signifies Queen Elizabeth, her great-grandmother, while Diana is another tribute to William’s deceased mother.

After her parents were crowned Prince and Princess of Wales, she transitioned from being known as Cambridge to being titled Princess Charlotte of Wales.

On the 23rd of April, 2018, not long after the arrival of their third child, Kensington Palace shared that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had chosen to call him Louis Arthur Charles. The newborn prince will be recognized as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.

Once again, he too is now Prince Louis of Wales.

Prince Henry of Wales, who was born on September 15, 1984, is more commonly known as Harry. This is the name his parents opted to use for him, a choice which has remained.

In the year 2018, when Harry tied the knot with Californian and former star of Suits, Meghan Markle, they became titled as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry chose the name Archie for their newborn son upon his birth on May 6, 2019, because it was a name they found appealing.

The decision left royal analysts in a state of surprise, as historian Marlene Koenig had earlier remarked to TopMob News, “This is quite an unconventional name selection, but I’m not taken aback because I predicted they would think outside the box. There are no Archies or Archibalds within the family. I’ve stated several times that non-royal parents seem to have greater flexibility and freedom.” (It is worth mentioning that Princess Diana has a Scottish ancestor named Archibald Campbell, the 9th Earl of Argyll.)

Harrison, however, literally means “son of Harry.”

Upon his arrival, his surname became Mountbatten-Windsor. This is a blended name derived from Prince Philip’s adopted surname when he became a British citizen (Mountbatten) and the Windsor surname, which is used by the Queen’s male-line descendants who do not hold royal titles or styles.

When his great-grandmother, the queen, passed away and Grandfather Charles ascended the throne, since he was the son of the current monarch, he was titled Prince Archie of Sussex as a young child.

Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born to Meghan and Harry on June 4, 2021.

A family statement revealed that Lili was given her first name in honor of her great-grandmother, who is affectionately known as Lilibet, and who holds the title Her Majesty The Queen. Additionally, they selected Diana as her middle name to pay tribute to their cherished deceased grandmother, Princess Diana.

Similar to her brother, she was crowned Princess Lilibet of Sussex upon the ascension of her grandfather Charles to the throne.

Prince Andrew, the third child of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, assumed the title of Duke of York upon his marriage to Sarah Ferguson. Even after their divorce, they continue to be known as the Duke and Duchess of York. Their first child, Beatrice Elizabeth Mary, was born in 1988.

As a die-hard royal enthusiast, let me share a fascinating tidbit: Beatrice, symbolizing joy and happiness, was none other than Queen Victoria’s fifth daughter. And here’s the twist – when they were speculating about the name of the queen’s fifth grandchild, Beatrice was certainly not the frontrunner. Yet, the name Elizabeth, a tribute to the queen herself whose grandmother was Mary of Teck, was chosen instead.

Born as the child of the current king’s son, Beatrice received the title of Her Royal Highness and became known as a princess.

In their marriage in 2020, the queen did not bestow a title upon her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. As a result, their daughters, Sienna and Athena, carry the surname Mapelli Mozzi.

In a different time period, Andrew and Sarah chose to call their second-born child, Eugenie Victoria Helena, after the Victorian age they had come from.

Princess Victoria Eugenie was the youngest child, being the ninth, born to her mother, Princess Beatrice.

In 2018, Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank without receiving an official title from the queen, thus he is still referred to as Mr., and their sons August and Earnest carry the Brooksbank surname.

2025-03-06 07:17

Read More