What is the British royal family’s surname? The use of Wales, Sussex and Mountbatten-Windsor explained

Members of the British royal family are typically known by their official titles, but when a surname is needed, one does exist. Though prior to 1917, royal family members didn’t have a surname, instead they went by the name of the house or dynasty that they belonged to. That changed when George V adopted Windsor as both the name of the “House” and his family’s surname.

While the same name was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth in 1952, she and Prince Philip, according to the royal family’s website, decided in 1960 that they wanted their “own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family.”

It was then declared in 1960 that descendants of Queen Elizabeth, excluding those who enjoy “the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness and the titular dignity of Prince or Princess,” as well as female members who marry, would use the surname “Mountbatten-Windsor,” a combination of two names linked to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

The first half of the name was taken from the surname of Queen Elizabeth’s husband. Prince Philip adopted the family name “Mountbatten” in 1947 when he became a naturalized British citizen. Meanwhile, the other half, “Windsor,” originates from the royal family name that George V declared in 1917 that “all descendants in the male line of Queen Victoria, who are subjects of these realms, other than female descendants who marry or who have married” would bear.

The surname “Mountbatten-Windsor” made its first appearance on an official document over a decade later. On November 14, 1973, the last name was recorded in the marriage register at Westminster Abbey for the wedding of the Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.

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Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor became the first royal to be given the surname Mountbatten-Windsor after her birth in 2003. Prince Edward’s daughter is listed on the line of succession as “The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor” and uses the surname when competing in carriage driving competitions, where she competes as Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.

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The late Queen’s second son ex-Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his style and titles in 2025, is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. 

From Mountbatten-Windsor to Sussex

The same surname was also used by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry for their children. Following the birth of their first child in 2019, it was announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had “named their first born child: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.” And their daughter’s name in 2021 was revealed to be “Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.” 

In 2023, months after Charles had already ascended the throne, the Sussex children began going by Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Meghan spoke about “Sussex” being her, Harry and their children’s family name in an episode of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan. 

Speaking to Mindy Kaling on the show, the Duchess said: “It’s so funny too that you keep saying ‘Meghan Markle.’ You know, I’m Sussex now.”

“You have kids, and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children,'” Meghan added. “I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name. Our little family name.'”

George, Charlotte and Louis’ surnames

Similarly, back when Charles was the Prince of Wales, his two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, used “Wales” as their surname. The brothers were called William Wales and Harry Wales at school. William’s children now do the same. When William and Catherine were known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, their son Prince George was photographed with a backpack featuring a tag that read: “George Cambridge.” 

With his parents now the Prince and Princess of Wales, George and his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, go by George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales at school. 

As the royal family’s website notes, “Members of the Royal Family can be known both by the name of the Royal house, and by a surname, which are not always the same,” but “often they do not use a surname at all.”