Prince Philip, were he aware, might have been disheartened by the decision of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle not to bestow his last name upon their children.
Contrary to royal tradition, the couple opted to grant their offspring, Prince Archie, aged four, and Princess Lilibet, aged two, the surname "Sussex" rather than "Mountbatten-Windsor." This deviation from custom would likely have troubled the late Prince Philip, as indicated by a royal expert. The Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away in April 2021 at the age of 99, had established the surname "Mountbatten-Windsor" for his direct descendants back in 1960.
According to insights from royal expert Ingrid Seward, Prince Philip would have found such a decision deeply unsettling, perhaps even causing him to metaphorically "turn in his grave." Seward highlighted that Prince Harry's choice diverges further from the traditions of "The Firm," a term referring to the royal family.
This distancing effect is compounded by the historical context of the Windsor family, who altered their name from "Saxe-Coburg and Gotha" in 1917 due to anti-German sentiment during World War I. Prince Philip, upon marrying Queen Elizabeth in 1947, relinquished his Greek and Danish titles, adopting his mother's surname, Mountbatten.
It's poignant that only three generations later, Prince Harry should disregard his grandfather's wishes so openly, effectively forsaking the family name Philip had fought to establish. The official name changes for Archie and Lilibet were recently announced on Harry and Meghan's updated website. The couple, formerly known for their Sussex Royal brand, faced significant backlash for the relaunch, viewed by some as a betrayal to Queen Elizabeth's memory. This sense of betrayal was heightened by their previous commitment not to exploit their titles for financial gain after stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
The decision to name their website after their titles has stirred controversy, perceived by insiders as a breach of trust. Despite being the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the choice to rebrand their site in this manner challenges the spirit, if not the letter, of their agreement with Buckingham Palace. While the Palace may feel constrained in its response, the implications of this action are significant, potentially straining the already delicate relationship between the couple and the royal institution.
