The Royal Traditions of England have a strict code of conduct. These traditions have also often been brought under criticism for certain regressive norms about the fashion and mannerisms that are aske
The Royal Traditions of England have a strict code of conduct. These traditions have also often been brought under criticism for certain regressive norms about the fashion and mannerisms that are asked of royals. Recently, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle changed the names of their children -Archie and Lilibet. At the birth of their firstborn Archie in May 2019, they named him Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. However, recently the new of their revamped website broke where the names had been updated.
The Times of London reported they decided on Sussex because over the past year they all adopted it as a last name—despite the children using Mountbatten-Windsor for years.
All About the Name Switch
The surname switch from Mountbatten-Windsor to Sussex stems back to the coronation of King Charles. As their grandfather took the throne, and Archie and Lilibet moved up in the line of succession, the children were afforded the new titles of Prince and Princess of Sussex. Previously, they were Master Archie and Miss Lilibet.
British prince and princesses typically use their titles or their parents’s titles as last names. By adopting Sussex for their children, the couple is just following tradition. It’s also undoubtedly easier for Harry and Meghan, who style their names as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to finally have the same last names as their children.
The Royal Traditions
According to a report by InStyle, changes made back in the ’60s, “The King’s descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince/Princess, or female descendants who marry, would carry the name of Mountbatten-Windsor.” The Times reports that Harry and Meghan actually switched to the Sussex last name after King Charles III’s Coronation in May 2023 but hadn’t updated Archewell.com with the information.
“The reality behind the new site is very simple — it’s a hub for the work the Sussexes do, and it reflects the fact the family have, since the King’s coronation, the same surname for the first time,” a source told The Times. “That’s a big deal for any family. It represents their unification, and it’s a proud moment.”
But, this move also drew certain amount of criticism as some are of the school of thought that despite not longer being members of the royal family, certain rules no longer apply to them. As Vogue reported, “Queen Elizabeth asked them to no longer use the brand name Sussex Royal (which was then their Instagram handle and the name of their website). ”