Prince Harry Name Change Would Hit King 'In the Gut'

Newsweek

2 days ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Prince Harry changing his surname to match Princess Diana's family name would be "a public rejection of his father's family," a royal author told Newsweek.
The Duke of Sussex reportedly asked Diana's brother about the possibility of him becoming "Harry Spencer," according to The Mail on Sunday.
The newspaper reported that Harry approached his uncle Charles Spencer for advice on whether he should change his name, and was told it would be logistically difficult.
According to the Mail, Harry therefore dropped the proposal. The U.K. tabloid is among Harry and Meghan Markle's most hated and has been sued by the couple four times.
Newsweek approached a representative of the Sussexes for comment.
Prince Harry leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England, after a hearing in the lawsuit he brought against the British government over his police protection, on April 9, 2025.
Prince Harry leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England, after a hearing in the lawsuit he brought against the British government over his police protection, on April 9, 2025.Robert Jobson, author of Sunday Times No. 1 bestseller Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography, told Newsweek: "So now Prince Harry wanted to be a Spencer. That's the latest twist in the ongoing royal soap opera—and if true, it's a move that would've hit King Charles right in the gut.
"Let's be clear: changing his surname from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer would've been no small thing. It would've been a public rejection of his father's family, a slap in the face to the late Prince Philip, who fought tooth and nail to get that name recognized in the first place. For Harry to ditch it now? That would sting."
The name Mountbatten came from Prince Philip's side of the family while Windsor came from Elizabeth's.
"The idea of Harry becoming 'Harry Spencer' may appeal to some," Jobson continued. "Those who see him as his mother's son, always fighting against the establishment. But let's not pretend this would've been a noble gesture.
"It would've looked petty, performative, and, frankly, unnecessary. Another line drawn in a family feud already far too public.
"It hasn't happened. Perhaps Harry realized it wouldn't bring him closer to Diana—it would just push him further from the family he still claims to want to reconcile with.
"At some point, the performance has to stop. A name change wouldn't heal wounds; it would just deepen them. For once, walking away from drama may have been the wisest move he's made."
Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I, expressed a degree of skepticism and told Newsweek: "I can't see that Harry would have anything to gain but there is nothing to stop him becoming Harry Spencer. I think the king would just find it extremely hurtful."
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Names and Titles
It is not completely clear what would have motivated Harry to pursue the idea of becoming a Spencer but the Sussexes' names and titles have long been a matter of debate.
On the one hand, fans of Meghan have bemoaned the fact that outlets including Newsweek continue to refer to her as "Markle" despite her losing her surname when she married Harry in 2018.
And Meghan herself corrected Mindy Kaling during her 2025 Netflix cooking show With Love, Meghan, saying: "It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now."
That led to fans and Drew Barrymore calling her "Meghan Sussex," though the royal still refers to herself, including on her website, as Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
On the other hand, critics of the couple have repeatedly called for them to be stripped of their titles, which usually refers to their duke and duchess titles rather than Harry's "prince" title.
Needless to say, Harry has also talked about becoming a U.S. citizen, a process that conventional wisdom suggests would require him to drop his royal titles and give up allegiance to "any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty" as required by the Oath of Allegiance.
If the Mail's story is true, one possible explanation could be that Harry was exploring what he would do in the event that he became an American citizen, losing his duke and prince titles and therefore needing a surname.
Alphonse Provinziano, of U.S. law firm Provinziano & Associates, told Newsweek in 2024 that Harry might be able to challenge the rule at the Supreme Court: "If you're becoming a U.S. citizen, you have to renounce your titles so it treats similarly situated people differently," Provinziano said. "That law, that was created by Congress, actually creates an unequal system.
"There is no Supreme Court case that interprets that code section merely because there's only been about a dozen American citizens who have had a prince or princess title.
"It's something that theoretically could go all the way to the Supreme Court because the court would have to review the law to make sure it's constitutional.
"The U.S. Supreme Court then, if it says Harry could keep his title or not keep his title, could have an effect on the line of succession of the British Monarchy, which is something that I don't think anyone ever contemplated. So it's fascinating."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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