The Duchess of Sussex (nee Meghan Markle) recently acknowledged that she and her family, her husband, Harry, and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, use the surname Sussex. This has caused consernation and criticism, especially on the other side of the Pond.
Lord Ivar Mountbatten, one of the recent winners of The Traitors, an NBC game show, is not convinced by the use of Sussex as a surname. In a recent interview, Lord Ivar told Town & Country magazine: "It's interesting because she is completely incorrect. Her family name is not Sussex. Her family is Mountbatten-Windsor. Her children are called Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten; they're not called Archie and Lilibet Sussex because Sussex is a title."
King Charles III and Lord Ivar are maternal second cousins. Both are great-grandchildren of Princess Victoria of Hesse and By Rhine and Prince Louis of Battenberg, later the 1st Marquess of Milford Haven.
British royals have a surname that they rarely ever use. In 1917, George V issued a proclamation changing the House name from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor. The surname Windsor was applied to George V's male-line descendants, who did not have royal titles. Several of his royal descendants used the surname on their marriage registrations: Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor, Henry William Frederick Albert Windsor Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick Windsor, and Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor. Princess Margaret, the Dukes of Gloucester and Kent, and Princess Alexandra did not use the surname Windsor when their marriage certificates were filled out.
In April 1952, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed the continuation of the House of Windsor.
"I hereby declare My Will and Pleasure that I and My children shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, and that My descendants, other than female descendants who marry and their descendants, shall bear the Name of Windsor".
Eight years later, on February 8, 1960, the Queen, then expecting her third child, issued a new declaration: "My Lords Whereas on the 9th day of April 1952, I did declare in Council My Will and Pleasure that I and My children shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, and that My descendants, other than female descendants who marry and their descendants, shall bear the name of Windsor:
And whereas I have given further consideration to the position of those of My descendants who will enjoy neither the style, t,itle or attribute of Royal Highness, nor the titular dignity of Prince and for whom therefore a surname will be necessary:
And whereas I have concluded that the Declaration made by Me on the 9th day of April 1952, should be varied in its application to such persons:
Now therefore I declare My Will and Pleasure that, while I and My Children shall continue to be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, My descendants other than descendants enjoying the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness and the titular dignity of Prince or Princess and female descendants who marry and their descendants shall bear the name of Mountbatten-Windsor."
It was assumed that the Mountbatten-Windsor surname would not be used until Elizabeth's great-grandchildren in the male line. The first appearance was in November 1972, when Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise Mountbatten-Windsor married Mark Antony Peter Phillips. Prince Andrew and Prince Edward also used the Mountbatten-Windsor surname on their marriage certificates. The Prince of Wales (Charles III) did not use the Mountbatten-Windsor surname. The person who filled out the form used Charles's titles.
Unfortunately, William and Harry's marriage registrations have not been made public. This came as a surprise because wedding certificates are public record. Nearly every marriage registration for members of the British royal family since the early 1900s has been photographed and released to the public. We do not know if William and/or Harry used Mountbatten-Windsor, but William's royal titles were used for his registration, and Mountbatten-Windsor was used for Harry, as he is a younger son.
The birth certificates for Archie and Lilibet give their surname as Mountbatten-Windsor.
Royal and noble titles are not included on UK drivers' licenses or passports, although notations can be added to a British passport. The Sovereign does not need a driver's license or a passport. Titles are also not included on US documents.
Harry and Meghan now use Sussex, rather than Mountbatten-Windsor, as their surname. Double-barrell surnames are not the norm in the US, and Mountbatten-Windsor can be a mouthful, and some forms may not have enough spaces for a long surname.
Harry and Meghan could have used Mountbatten or Windsor as surnames. However, the couple cannot use their royal titles on their California driver's licences, Social Security cards, income tax returns, etc.
California has a process where a name can be changed. https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/name-change#:~:text=You%20can%20legally%20change%20your,a%20copy%20of%20your%20request.
Harry and Meghan would have to announce the name change in a local paper. The process involves other steps and a $450 fee.
Lord Ivar, King Charles's second cousin, is not entirely correct. There are numerous examples where members of the British royal family, peers, and heirs to peerages have used the geographic or name as part of their titles in their careers.
Sussex should be used as a professional name rather than having the couple capitalize on their titles. I have advocated for this since the Sandringham Summit. It would have made more sense and created less tension if Harry and Meghan had agreed not to use their royal titles in business. There is a precedent for this. After leaving the Royal Marines in 1986, Prince Edward began working for Andrew Lloyd Webber and eventually established his production company, Ardent, in 1993. He eschewed using his title and chose to be credited as Edward Windsor.
Of course, everyone knew that Prince Edward was the head of Ardent, but he left his title in the palace and went to work as Edward Windsor.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in the US, and their children are being raised as Americans. Neither Harry nor Meghan represent the Sovereign when they attend a charitable engagement.
If Harry and Meghan want to use Sussex as a surname, that is their decision. Using a surname rather than their titles makes far more sense, even if it is Sussex. In California, there are at least 327 people with the surname Sussex.
They are not the first British royals to use a part of their title as a surname. William and Harry used the surname Wales at Eton and later in the military. The Duke of Gloucester, as Prince Richard of Gloucester, was known as Richard Gloucester when he worked as an architect.
In 1945, when Princess Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territory Services (ATS), she was known as Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor.
Harry would not be the first peer to use the geographic part of his title as a surname. Lord Martin Cecil was the younger son of the 5th Marquess of Exeter. In the 1930s, he emigrated to western Canada to manage family properties. In 1981, his older brother, David, the 1928 Gold Medalist in the 400-meter hurdles, died without male issue, and he succeeded as the 7th Marquess.
In 1954, Martin became the head of the Emissaries of Divine Light. Before his succession to the marquessate, Martin used the name Martin Cecil, as Cecil is the family name. After the death of his brother, he eschewed the family name and was known as Martin Exeter.
https://archive.ph/20130414164317/http://www.emissaries.org/bios/martin.php
https://abcbookworld.com/article/article-13458/
It is not unusual for a peer or an heir to a peerage to use the title name in business. The late John Knathcbull, 5th Baron Brabourne, was a film producer. He used John Brabourne as his professional name. The present Earl of Harewood, a grandson of the late Princess Royal, also worked in films and television when he was Viscount Lascelles. The credits read David Lascelles, a name he still uses professionally.
Harry's uncle Charles is Earl Spencer, the author of several histories, but he is not credited as Earl Spencer. Just Charles Spencer.
Arthur, the heir to the Duke of Wellington, is styled as Earl of Mornington and uses Arthur Mornington as his business name. The Duke of Devonshire's heir, the Earl of Burlington, a photographer, uses the credit Bill or William Burlington.
https://www.oakleycapital.com/team/arthur-mornington/
To all the pearl clutchers, please note that Harry and Meghan can professionally use the name Sussex. As I have pointed out, there are many precedents for this decision.
There is another option which everyone would like. In the USA, it is common for couples to create their surnames, sometimes forging parts of their surnames into a new name. Drop Mountbatten and merge Windsor and Markle, and you have a new name: WINKLE!
How about Harry, Meghan, Archie, and Lilibet Winkle?
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