Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stirred up a storm by abandoning a longstanding royal tradition that has been in place for 64 years.
In a bold move, the couple opted to change their children’s surnames, a decision that would have likely not gained the approval of Prince Philip.
The traditional surname given to male-line descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Mountbatten-Windsor, has been replaced with Sussex for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
According to royal expert Ingrid Seward, the late Duke of Edinburgh would have been discontented with Meghan and Harry’s choice, as he had strongly advocated for the significance of the Mountbatten-Windsor name.
This deviation from the established norm is perceived to create further separation between the prince, his offspring, and the Royal Family.
The late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, felt a sense of betrayal when it was decided in 1952 that his children would not carry his surname, Mountbatten, upon Princess Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne.
Instead, they were to bear the title “Windsors,” derived from the Queen’s lineage.
In a bid to resolve this issue, Winston Churchill and the Queen’s private secretary Tommy Lascelles introduced the compromise of naming male descendants as Mountbatten-Windsor.
Ingrid expressed disappointment in Harry for disregarding his grandfather’s wishes and abandoning the family name that Philip had vigorously defended.
The controversial change in surname is believed to deeply trouble Prince Philip, with Ingrid suggesting that it would be a turn of events that would greatly upset him.
The announcement of Archie and Lilibet’s new surname was made public through Meghan and Harry’s newly launched website.
A source close to the family revealed that the website was established as a central platform for the Sussexes’ endeavors, symbolizing a significant moment as the family now shares a common surname since the coronation of the King.
However, the unveiling of the website received a cold reception at Buckingham Palace.
Royal commentator Michael Cole expressed concerns over the potential misuse of the website for commercial purposes, emphasizing that such actions would not be well-received.
He cautioned that if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aimed to mend relationships, their current approach might not be the most effective way to achieve that goal.
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