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Prince Harry‘s decision to adopt the Spencer surname is a slap to not just the royal family, but also his wife, Meghan Markle, who has long embraced the Sussex surname. The year 2025 has seen the Duke and Duchess of Sussex grappling with the ideal choice of a family monicker, having decided to ditch the royal family’s name, Mountbatten-Windsor, for a more American Surname. In one episode of her cooking show, With Love, Meghan, which aired in March, the Duchess made clear her decision by announcing to Mindy Kaling that she’s Sussex now, and how “meaningful” it felt to finally have their “little family name.” The revelation has since sparked backlash, with many deeming the Sussexes undeserving of a name that represented the Dukedom they abandoned when they bid farewell to royal life.
Despite Meghan Markle’s public declaration of her family’s new surname, Sussex, just weeks back, sources claim Prince Harry still sought a different last name. According to Daily Mail, the 40-year-old explored the use of his late mother, Princess Diana’s last name, Spencer, in place of Mountbatten-Windsor. Per the source, Harry aired his intentions with his uncle, Earl Spencer, who dissuaded him by claiming the legal procedures involved in such drastic change were “insurmountable.” Royal correspondent Charles Rae believes that advice saved Harry from a lot more than legal hurdles.
Prince Harry Averts Further Royal Family Drama
While appearing on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive, Rae explained how Prince Harry’s move to drop his royal last name in favor of his mom’s maiden name could have sent the wrong message to the royal family. Such drama, he believes, was uncalled for, given the Prince’s continuous call for a royal reconciliation, most recently, during his BBC interview. Changing his name right after that would have seemed like Harry’s way of making it clear to his royal family he wanted nothing to do with them. The royal correspondent divulged,
“And the next thing we hear, and I think the story was well sourced, he wants to change the name from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer. Well, that is sending a terrible message to the royal family that he doesn’t really want a reconciliation. He wants to be completely severed from the royal family.”
Rae also suggested that the whole back-and-forth all but confirmed claims that Prince Harry had no idea “what he wants to do” with himself. If Harry’s actions were indeed his way of sending that message across after the royals failed to yield to him in the wake of the BBC interview, Rae believed it ideal for King Charles to grant that wish, and sever ties with his younger son for good, ultimately avoiding future tantrums.
Harry’s Spencer Suname Consideration Opposes Meghan’s Name Change
Regardless of the reasoning behind Prince Harry’s move to adopt the Spencer surname in favor of Mountbatten-Windsor or Sussex, the revelation posed many unanswered questions for royal fans. Most believe Harry’s adoption of a different surname, especially after Meghan’s very public declaration of the family’s chosen monicker, reflected the sorry state of their marriage. One Reddit user wrote,
“Considering how much Meghan has leaned into the Sussex last name, it just doesn’t feel serious.”
A second explained,
“It’s weird that it is made public that he spoke about it, but was still ‘advised against’ by his uncle. Where is the news if nothing came of it, because the legality of it was ‘insurmountable,’ as it was supposedly explained to him by his uncle. I doubt his intention was ever serious.”
Another added,
“I don’t think he knows what he wants, but I do think he needs to figure it out privately.”
Netizens also pointed out how Prince Harry’s decision to explore the name Spencer, instead of his wife’s publicly endorsed name Sussex, was a slap to Meghan’s face. According to them, “Sussex” was indeed the obvious choice of last name for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, going by royal precedence of titled royals opting for their titles, rather than surnames. Acting otherwise suggests something more sinister must have played out behind closed doors, forcing the Sussexes to consider a change of name. Given previous reports of Prince William and King Charles’ disapproval of Meghan’s surname declaration and threats to take stringent measures, one can’t entirely rule that out.
