Royal author Ingrid Seward expressed disappointment, stating, "How sad, therefore, that only three generations later, Harry should so blatantly disregard his grandfather's wishes and effectively abandon the family name for which Philip had fought." When Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne in 1952, unlike the wife of a reigning King, her husband did not receive an automatic title upgrade of any kind. This reportedly irked the pragmatic and straightforward Prince Philip. In the late 1950s, he was quoted as saying, "I'm just a bloody amoeba," highlighting that his role primarily involved producing heirs to the throne. Their children bore the surname "Windsor," based on the royal house's name, even though traditionally, a married couple's children take the father's surname.
To honor her husband, Queen Elizabeth II agreed to the use of the surname Mountbatten-Windsor for all their male-line descendants. However, it is worth noting that the surname is not compulsory for Archie and Lilibet. As both are now prince and princess, individuals with royal styles and titles technically do not possess surnames.
The recent controversy emerged regarding the details of Harry and Meghan's website redesign, which prominently features their royal styles and titles. Royal journalist Michael Cole explained, "When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocated first to Canada and then to California, which was likely their intended destination, it was made clear to them that although they would retain the honorific titles Her Royal Highness and His Royal Highness, Their Royal Highnesses, they were not allowed to use those letters."
Cole further clarified, "In fact, it's not correct to say that Sussex is their surname. Sussex refers to two lovely counties in this country, West Sussex and East Sussex. Prince Harry's birth name was Mountbatten Windsor. That's the family name of the royal family of this country. It's the House of Windsor, but the actual name the children are born into is Mountbatten Windsor."
The mention of "Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet Diana of Sussex" serves to emphasize the ducal or princely designation associated with their father's main title, rather than functioning as a direct surname.
