This is the Royal Family’s last name
The Royal Family don’t often use their last name in day to day events (let’s face it, when you refer to Queen Elizabeth II most people have a good idea who you’re talking about). But they do have one, and it doesn’t take much digging to find it.
The Independent analysed the Royal family tree and found that up until the early 20th century they had no last name, but were known by the name of the country they ruled.
The website states, “The names of dynasties tended to change when the line of succession was taken by a rival faction within the family (for example, Henry IV and the Lancastrians, Edward IV and the Yorkists, Henry VII and the Tudors), or when succession passed to a different family branch through females (for example, Henry II and the Angevins, James I and the Stuarts, George I and the Hanoverians).”
This all changed when King George V came into power in 1917, and decided that his family and his descendants would retain the surname Windsor.
It took a further change in 1960, when Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh decided to create their own surname, and decided on the name Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Independent states, “The effect of the declaration was that all The Queen's children, on occasions when they needed a surname, would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Unless The Prince of Wales chooses to alter the present decisions when he becomes king, he will continue to be of the House of Windsor and his grandchildren will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.”
So, there you have it, their surname is Mountbatten-Windsor. So now you can look Her Majesty up in the phonebook!
Were you aware of this? Who’s your favourite member of the Royal Family?