Have you ever noticed how Prince William seems like she doesn’t have a last name? In an age where titles seem to matter more and more, what’s actually going on with official royal names? As with everything involving the royal family, it’s all quite confusing.
A Quick History Lesson
For millennia, princes and kings didn’t have a last name. Why would they need one? They could keep the house names, but not the title. “King” Oder “Princess” This would suffice. This holds true even today.
1917 was the year King George V made history. Instead of being named after his house, Gotha and Saxe-Coburg, he changed the royal moniker from Windsor to Windsor, which is named after the castle. He made sure to mention that the surname would be applicable to all his male descendants. The surname All went well. for decades.
Mountbatten-Windsor
Queen Elizabeth made a slight change when she and Prince Philip combined the names of their houses. She was the House Of Windsor and he was the House of Mountbatten. This name has been passed on through the generations, up to 2021.
So why don’t we call him Prince Willaim Mountbatten-Windsor? That first title is actually of “Prince” It is sufficient to ensure that the last name will never be used. This is also why Prince Harry cannot simply lose the title prince: it’s his birthright and can’t be taken away. It’s a very official designation that usually goes hand in hand with his majesty, Prince William. The title is more respectful.
You could call him William Mountbatten-Windsor and you wouldn’t really be wrong, but it’s a bit unnecessary and it’s not the name that appears on his birth certificate, which list a lot of names, but not Mountbatten or Windson. This is because of the complicated royal family and its antiquated traditions and obscure rules.
He gets to choose
Harry and William both served in military service, so they took advantage of the chance to live by the old rules. Both men chose the name. “Wales” Prince Charles was their father’s title. William became the Prince of Wales. William was Flight Lieutenant WalesHarry was made Officer Cadet Wales.
Therefore you could call him Prince William Wales and you wouldn’t be wrong either. His kids, however, wouldn’t have the same name. George could go by Cambridge… for the time being at least, though again, his birth certificate lists no surname.
Let’s the review: Prince William can either have 0, 1, or 2 last names depending almost on how he feels that day. Officially, he doesn’t have a surname. However, he can choose to, should he wish. Should he become king, he would ultimately have the power, as his grandmother and great-great-grandfather did, to change it once more. Officially though, Prince William is allowed to write “Prince William” You can check it and it will clear.