Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, previously referred to as Prince Andrew, was once granted a brand new surname on Thursday after being stripped of his taste, titles and honours by means of his older brother the King. The dramatic choice got here after mounting public power and renewed scrutiny into Andrew’s ties with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, and following the discharge of his accuser Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir.
So why was once Andrew given the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, the surname that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s youngsters Archie and Lilibet additionally proportion? This choice is consistent with royal custom.
Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname given to descendants of Queen Elizabeth II who don’t have already got the identify of Prince or Princess or the manner of Royal Highness – which is now Andrew’s case following the elimination of his taste, titles and honours. As an apart, on the time of Archie and Lilibet’s births, they’d no longer been granted their Prince and Princess titles but – this most effective came about when King Charles took the throne in 2022 as a result of consistent with a 1917 Letters Patent, the kids of the monarch’s son are entitled to be princes or princesses. Due to this fact, they have been referred to as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor at beginning, till their grandfather was monarch.
The origins of Mountbatten-Windsor
Mountbatten-Windsor is a mixture of Queen Elizabeth II’s Windsor surname, and Prince Philip’s followed surname of Mountbatten. Philip, who was once born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, assumed the title of Philip Mountbatten when he was naturalised. He used this title serving as a Lieutenant within the Royal Army.
Buckingham Palace’s site explains that the overdue Queen and Prince Philip “determined that they would love their very own direct descendants to be prominent from the remainder of the Royal Circle of relatives” by means of the usage of the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. The surname Windsor (and no longer Mountbatten-Windsor), in the meantime, was once utilized by the entire male and single feminine descendants of the overdue Queen’s grandfather George V. Due to this fact, for her direct descendants, Queen Elizabeth II sought after a differentiation.
Using Mountbatten-Windsor
Its use was once accepted by means of a 1960 Privy Council declaration, and because then, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor has been utilized by the overdue Queen’s youngsters on every occasion they had to, akin to upon marriage. The surname Mountbatten-Windsor first gave the impression on an reputable record on 14 November 1973, within the marriage sign in at Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. And now Andrew reveals himself wanting to make use of it.
For essentially the most section, contributors of the royal circle of relatives who’re entitled to the manner of ‘HRH Prince or Princess’ shouldn’t have a surname, but when at any time any of them do want a surname, that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor.
© GettyThe King’s commentary
Buckingham Palace launched a surprising commentary on Thursday night, revealing the exchange in Andrew’s princely identify and dwelling preparations. It learn: “His Majesty has lately initiated a proper procedure to take away the Taste, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew.
© Getty“Prince Andrew will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His hire on Royal Resort has, to this point, equipped him with prison coverage to proceed in place of abode. Formal realize has now been served to give up the hire and he’ll transfer to selection non-public lodging. Those censures are deemed essential, however the truth that he continues to disclaim the allegations in opposition to him.
“Their Majesties need to shed light on that their ideas and utmost sympathies had been, and can stay with, the sufferers and survivors of any and all varieties of abuse.”
