What’s the meaning behind the ‘Mountbatten-Windsor’ surname?

The surname Mountbatten-Windsor is the official family name used by members of the British royal family who do not hold HRH status or prince/princess titles—hence why it was given at birth to certain royals.

The name itself is a blend of Mountbatten, from the late Prince Philip’s lineage, and Windsor, from the late Queen’s family.

Traditionally, British princes and princesses use their parents’ titles as surnames. Both Prince Harry and Prince William followed this custom, going by Harry Wales and William Wales during their school years.

By choosing to use Sussex as their surname, Meghan and Harry—who hold the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex—are simply continuing this tradition while ensuring their family shares a unified last name.

Prince Harry’s real name

The name confusion doesn’t end there. When Meghan and Harry’s first child, Prince Archie, was born in 2019, he was officially given the name Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. At the time, both Archie and his younger sister, Lilibet, carried this surname—before their grandfather, King Charles, took the throne in 2022.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting. When Harry signed Archie’s birth certificate—later obtained by Harper’s Bazaar—he used the name: “His Royal Highness Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex.”

That’s right—Harry’s real name isn’t actually Harry. It’s Henry.

In fact, there’s a long-standing English tradition of calling men named Henry by the nickname Harry, which explains the switch.

Meghan Markle’s real name

Little Archie’s birth certificate confirmed Meghan’s full legal name as Rachel Meghan Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan on the ‘Sussex’ Family Name

Meghan recently spoke about how much it means to her that all four members of her family share the same last name.

In an interview with PEOPLE, the Suits actress reflected on the significance of the Sussex title, which she and Harry received from the Queen when they married in 2018.

“It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” she shared. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.”

She also described the Sussex name as “part of our love story.”