13 February 2024 , 11:43
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Prince Archie's surname sparked a massive Royal Family argument years before he was even born.
While Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's oldest child became a HRH and took the title 'prince' when King Charles took the throne, that wasn't the case when he was born in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex broke all Royal traditions when it came to Archie's birth, keeping the key details secret and choosing not to pose for photos on the hospital steps. But one thing they did do in line with other royals before them was keep us waiting a few days before announcing the name.
When they finally revealed that the new Royal tot would be known as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, they also shared a lovely photo of him meeting the late Queen and Prince Philip.
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(WireImage)The announcement confirmed that he won't have a HRH title at that time, and would instead use Mountbatten-Windsor - the family's official surname used by all members who don't have a title. However, the name caused a huge row when it was first introduced back in 1973 - decades before Meghan and Harry wrote it on little Archie's birth certificate.
Before marrying the Queen, Philip was Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg. However, this wasn't neutral enough so he adopted the name Mountbatten after his grandparents.
When the then Princess Elizabeth had the couple's first child Prince Charles, he assumed they would take on his name in the traditional way. The Queen's decision to use the surname Windsor, instead of her husband Prince Philip's name Mountbatten, reportedly caused a huge row in the Royal family. The matter was so serious that it was even discussed in Parliament.
Philip was said to be very upset about the decision (Popperfoto)Philip was said to be upset by the decision, with Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith suggesting that the disagreement over the name could have been the reason for the 10-year age gap between Princess Anne and Prince Edward. However, when the Queen fell pregnant with her third child, she decided to revisit the issue. She met with then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and admitted that the issue had been bothering her husband since 1952.
Finally, a compromise was reached. On February 8, 1960 - just 11 days before Prince Andrew was born - the Queen announced that she had adopted the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This would be used by all her descendants who do not hold the title of His or Her Royal Highness.
When the Late Queen Elizabeth passed away and Charles took to the throne, Archie and his sister Lilibet because the grandchildren of a Monarch. This meant they were entitled to HRHs and could use the titles prince and princess. Meghan and Harry decided their children would use their titles, despite cutting ties with the Royal Family.
It's not known whether Archie and Lilibet will use the surname Sussex or Mountbatten-Windsor as they grow up.