Latest news with #EarlSpencer
News.com.au
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Why Prince Harry wants to ‘change his name'
COMMENT All those centuries ago, Will 'I Am' Shakespeare put scratchy quill to parchment and gave us that habitually handy line, 'a rose by another other name' blah, blah, blah. According to him, a bloom, no matter what you it, smells just as nice, an adage that Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex appears to believe in too after it was claimed on Sunday that he considered changing his surname to Spencer. The Daily Mail has reported that the duke 'actively explored ways to assume' Princess Diana's surname and went so far as to seek advice from her brother Earl Spencer however 'was told that the legal hurdles were insurmountable.' 'They had a very amicable conversation and [Earl] Spencer advised him against taking such a step,' a friend of Harry's told the Mail. Per the astonishing report, the duo had the tete-a-tete when the duke was back in the UK. Harry was previously reported to have stayed with his uncle at the Spencers ancestral seat of Althorp in August last year when he returned to Britain for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes' funeral. Let's get the obvious out of the road - if Harry had gone ahead with this it would have been a truly stunning slap in the face for his father King Charles. (It's remarkable really - somehow, even after Oprah and Netflix and Spare, the duke is still coming up with new ways to even further publicly spurn the royal family.) Still, even the very fact that Harry entertained the idea of dumping the surname available to members of the royal family - Mountbatten-Windsor - is genuinely shocking stuff. At this rate he'll be dying his signature ginger locks blonde to distance himself further from his former life. Of course, things have hardly been all warm and fuzzy between Harry and the King for years, with things so bad that His Majesty is unable to find even a spare ten minute window in his diary to make polite chit chat about the weather with his son. In fact the entente is so far from cordiale that Harry's calls to Charles, 'go unanswered,' a friend of his somehow managed to let slip to People last year 'He gets unavailable right now'. Added to which there is also still the reportedly unhealed sore that was Harry's decision to tell all in his 2023 memoir, in which he not only had go's at his father and Prince William but included digs about Queen Camilla and Kate, The Princess of Wales too. Forgiveness, from the Prince of Wales, per reports, could not be further from the cards. However despite this complicated backstory, this name Spencer claim is astonishing. Frosty relations and Whatsapp messages left unread are one thing but going to the legal extreme of changing your name is another. If Harry had gone through with this it would have translated to him amputating himself, irrevocably, from the royal family. (The necessary background bit: Mountbatten-Windsor is the name on the birth certificates of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, however there is also a convention to use one's father's title too. That's why William and Harry were known at school as 'Wales'. In February 2024 it was reported that Harry, his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex and their kids used 'Sussex'. In an episode of the duchess' With Love Meghan she awkwardly corrected 'friend' Mindy Kaling after the comedian called her 'Meghan Markle'. Note, there will be a quiz on this at the end.) What's missing from the Mail's bombshell Spencer story is the question of what this surname switcheroo would or could have meant for their royal titles. (At least they would not have to have any of their napkins or bespoke pickleball racquets re-monogrammed.) If the duke went so far as to stump up the £50.32 required to change his name via UK deed poll, how could they have straight-faced kept calling themselves the Duke and Duchess of Sussex? In this scenario the question is, would they have simply become plain old Harry and Meghan Spencer instead? What is also unexplored in the Mail story are Meghan's feelings about dumping her royal married name. Given that recently the duchess has, twice, reminded the world she is still, technically, an HRH, it's a tough sell to imagine her merrily binning her duchess title to be a bog standard Mrs. You also have to wonder if the Duke of Sussex, a man who has proven to be a bust as a podcaster and TV producer, had considered the commercial implications of his Spencer plan? 'Harry Spencer' might smell as sweet to him - but what about when it comes to his money-making career? Would coaching company BetterUp be just as happy to have 'Harry Spencer' as their Chief Impact Officer, a title and role that four years on remains as nebulous and detail-deficient as ever? In late May, the Daily Mail reported that the duke is set to launch an 'as-yet-undisclosed commercial venture in the next few months'. Would 'Harry Spencer' have the same access to funding and connections and help as Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel? And would 'Meghan Spencer' but have just as much of a booster in Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos who, another Mail report detailed, calls 'the rock star'? (Sarandos, a well-placed source, told the paper the streaming boss 'is a massive, massive fan of Meghan personally…He is all in.') Ponder, if you will, the existential question - who or what are Harry and Meghan as a brand and an enterprise without their royal identities? As it is, even with 'duke' and 'duchess' still firmly slapped all over the shop, they are about to embark on an uncertain US next chapter. They have moved on from their days of monetising their royal angst, handy since it's positively old, tired hat now. Unfortunately, their attempts to establish themselves in the entertainment industry have amounted to hits, misses and repeated claims they are, at times, about as easy to work for as Genghis Khan in a right mood. Harry's Heart of Invictus and Polo were both lavish productions that did about as well with audiences as a live stream of porridge cooling. He never once managed to get a podcast idea across the line in the two and a half years the couple had a contract with Spotify. Meghan has proven much more successful, turning her hand to investing, making a TV show that valiantly fought to make the case to put flower sprinkles on a frittata, and selling jars of fruit spreads for $21.70 a pop. She also has entered influencer territory having launched a ShopMy account meaning she can monetise her impeccable style. (The woman truly knows her way around a fabulous neutral separate or 17 and a spot of Cartier.) At least Ted Sarandos and whoever might be involved in Harry's mystery commercial venture can rest easy knowing that the Sussexes' name and titles are still firmly in place. However, as they breathe deep sighs of relief, how must this Spencer news make Charles feel? In the last four years he has lost his father, Prince Philip, his mother, the late Queen, and to a large degree one of his sons. And for Harry, he has left behind his homeland, his father, his brother, his military roles, a decent chunk of his raison être and his lifetime membership card to Annabel's. If anyone you know still has a quill, this level of family drama is such that it would be perfect for the stage of The Globe.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
King Charles beams as he waves at royal fans on the way to church in Sandringham
King Charles was seen smiling and waving at royal fans this morning as he made his way to church in Sandringham. The monarch, 76, was being driven to St Mary Magdalene Church for the Sunday morning service when he made the warm gesture. Pictured in the backseat of a blue vehicle, Charles, who is often accompanied at church by Queen Camilla, 77, appeared to be attending the service alone today. The King looked typically smart in a suit and tie as he waved and beamed at those gathered nearby. The royal couple last week visited Ottawa, Canada, where Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February of last year, addressed the country's parliament. In the speech, delivered from a throne made of wood from a Windsor oak, the King declared the nation 'strong and free'. Charles, who was introduced to Parliament as The King of Canada, spoke of his 'deep pride and pleasure' at witnessing 'Canadians coming together in a renewed sense of national pride, unity, and hope'. Charles's appearance this morning comes after The Mail on Sunday reported that Prince Harry, 40, sought advice from Princess Diana's brother about changing his family name to Spencer. Sources said the Duke of Sussex actively explored ways to assume his mother's surname – a move that would have involved ditching Mountbatten-Windsor, used by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It is understood he discussed the issue with Earl Spencer – whose family seat is Althorp in Northamptonshire – during a rare visit to Britain, but was told that the legal hurdles were insurmountable. 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step,' said a friend of Harry. Nevertheless, the fact that he consulted the Earl over the issue – a proposal that would dismay his brother and father – is a vivid expression of the toxic rift with his family. Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. It combines the Royal Family 's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh 's adopted surname. On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Royal author Tom Bower has claimed that 'Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana'. If the name change had succeeded, Meghan's daughter, who is believed to have met the King only once, would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer, a more fulsome tribute to Harry's late mother. The move would be particularly hurtful to King Charles, who cherishes the Mountbatten name just as his father did. A mentor to Prince Philip, the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was also a strong influence on his great-nephew, the future King Charles. Philip adopted the Mountbatten name when he became a naturalised British subject and renounced his Greek and Danish royal title in 1947. The Queen and Philip decided in 1960 that they would like their own direct descendants to be known as Mountbatten-Windsor. According to the Government, you do not have to follow a legal process to start using a new name, but it suggests on its official website using a 'deed poll' to apply for or to change official documents such as a passport or driving licence. Names and titles are a highly sensitive subject for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They were given their Sussex titles by Queen Elizabeth on the day of their wedding in 2018. Meghan recently insisted her surname is Sussex, correcting a guest on her Netflix cookery and lifestyle programme. In episode two of With Love, Meghan, which was released in March, the 43-year-old former actress was joined by comedienne Mindy Kaling. Meghan told her: 'It's so funny you keep saying 'Meghan Markle' – you know I'm Sussex now.' As Ms Kaling looked confused, the duchess, who has visited the county of Sussex only once, continued: 'You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children'. 'I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go 'This is OUR family name. Our little family name.' ' The Sussexes used the title princess for their daughter, Lilibet, for the first time after her christening in California was announced in 2023. A spokesman for the couple said: 'The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.' The children were subsequently officially named as prince and princess on the Royal Family's official website. Archie, now aged six, and Lilibet, who turns four on Wednesday, were named as the Prince and Princess of Sussex on the line of succession page of the official Royal Family website. They are sixth and seventh in line to the throne. Previously they were listed as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The rules governing the titles of royal children were set out by George V – Queen Elizabeth's grandfather – in 1917. Archie and Lilibet were not prince and princess at birth, because they were not grandchildren of the monarch, but they gained the right to these titles when King Charles acceded to the throne. During the Sussexes' explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan suggested to the American chat-show host that Archie had been denied his birthright of the title 'prince' by the Palace and that the decision went against protocol. She spoke of her shock at being told he would not get police protection because he did not have a title, and suggested that the decision was taken because of his mixed race. 'It's not their right to take away,' Meghan said. Asked by Ms Winfrey, 'Do you think it's because of his race?', the duchess replied: 'In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we [had] the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title. And, also, concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born.' At the time the claims caused shock and bewilderment at Buckingham Palace, with the late Queen subsequently publishing a statement including the memorable phrase, 'some recollections may vary'.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
Duke of Sussex ‘asked Diana's brother if he should change his family name to Spencer'
Prince Harry asked Princess Diana's brother about changing his family name to Spencer, according to reports. During a rare visit to Britain, Prince Harry is said to have sought advice from his uncle Earl Spencer, about whether to assume his mother's surname. It would have meant dropping his current family name, Mountbatten-Windsor, which is used by his children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, three. The Duke, 40, was advised against the move by the Earl, 61, because of the legal hurdles, according to the Mail on Sunday. 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step', a friend of the Duke told the newspaper. Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. It combines the British Royal family's House name of Windsor and Prince Philip's adopted surname of Mountbatten. The Duke's apparent desire to abandon the name speaks to the growing rift with his family. An interview with the BBC last month, in which he made a series of comments about the Royal family, is understood to have deepened the divide between Buckingham Palace and the Duke and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. On their birth certificates, the couple's children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. However, it was revealed last year, they had started using 'Sussex' as the official surname for their children. The Royal family name of Windsor was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth II following her accession to the throne in 1952. But in 1960, the late Queen and then Duke of Edinburgh elected for their direct descendants to carry the name Mountbatten-Windsor. This meant that when the Queen's children needed to declare a surname, it would be Mountbatten-Windsor. Mountbatten-Windsor first appeared on an official document on Nov 14 1973 upon the marriage of the Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Prince Harry asked Princess Diana's brother if he could change his family name to Spencer
Emily Jane Davies, News Reporter Published: Invalid Date, PRINCE Harry reportedly considered changing his name to Spencer and ditching his family name Mountbatten-Windsor. The 40-year-old is believed to have asked Princess Diana 's brother - Earl Spencer - for advice during a visit to the UK. 5 5 But it is understood that the Duke of Sussex was told the legal side of doing this would be too difficult. A friend of Harry's told the Mail: "They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step." Harry's children go by Mountbatten-Windsor - which combines the Royal Family's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh's surname. If the prince had gone ahead with the name swap, his daughter would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer. It follows claims by royal author Tom Bower that: "Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana." Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname of descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Philip adopted the Mountbatten name when he became a British subject and gave up his Greek and Danish royal title in 1947. He and the late Queen and Philip decided ten years later that they wanted their direct descendants to be known as Mountbatten-Windsor. While you don't need to go through a legal process to use a new name, it is recommended to use a deed poll to change documents such as passports and driving licences. This is not the first time Harry and Meghan have been touchy on their names or titles. The became the Sussexes when the late Queen gave them the titles when they married in 2018. Harry previously had the title Prince Henry of Wales. But on his wedding day, he became The Duke of Sussex, a title which had been vacant since 1843. When they married, Meghan adopted the female equivalent of Harry's name, so became Duchess of Sussex. And Meghan was seen to firmly correct Mindy Kaling after her friend called her Markle on her Netflix show. In an episode on With Love, Meghan, the Duchess said: "It's so funny you keep saying 'Meghan Markle' – you know I'm Sussex now. "You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children'. "I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go 'This is OUR family name. Our little family name.' " Questions were raised when Harry and Meghan called their daughter a princess for the first time in 2023, when her christening was announced. The children were then officially named as prince and princess on the Royal Family's official website. Archie and Lilibet are sixth and seventh in line to the throne. Before their titles were listed as prince and princess on the royal website, they were down as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. They gained the titles when King Charles become the King, as they are grandchildren of the monarch. Meghan also recently raised eyebrows after it was revealed she is still using her HRH title - despite promising the late Queen she wouldn't after leaving royal duties. Although she used it around her friends instead of for "commercial purposes', a royal expert criticised her for using the title for her advantage. In a podcast interview with pal Jamie Kern Lima, a photo showed a gift basket of ice cream and strawberry sauce Meghan sent her a year ago. With it came a note on monogrammed paper, signed: "With the compliments of HRH the Duchess of Sussex." However, during the chat, Meghan opened up on a number of personal topics, including describing royal life as being 'in the trenches.' 5 5
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Prince Harry sought advice from Princess Diana's brother asking if he should change family name to Spencer
Prince Harry sought advice from Princess Diana 's brother about changing his family name to Spencer, The Mail on Sunday has learned. Sources said the Duke of Sussex actively explored ways to assume his mother's surname – a move that would have involved ditching Mountbatten-Windsor, used by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It is understood he discussed the issue with Earl Spencer – whose family seat is Althorp in Northamptonshire – during a rare visit to Britain, but was told that the legal hurdles were insurmountable. 'They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step,' said a friend of Harry. Nevertheless, the fact that he consulted the Earl over the issue – a proposal that would dismay his brother and father – is a vivid expression of the toxic rift with his family. Mountbatten-Windsor is the surname available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. It combines the Royal Family 's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh 's adopted surname. On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children are Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Royal author Tom Bower has claimed that 'Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana'. If the name change had succeeded, Meghan's daughter, who is believed to have met the King only once, would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer, a more fulsome tribute to Harry's late mother. The move would be particularly hurtful to King Charles, who cherishes the Mountbatten name just as his father did. A mentor to Prince Philip, the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma was also a strong influence on his great-nephew, the future King Charles. Philip adopted the Mountbatten name when he became a naturalised British subject and renounced his Greek and Danish royal title in 1947. The Queen and Philip decided in 1960 that they would like their own direct descendants to be known as Mountbatten-Windsor. According to the Government, you do not have to follow a legal process to start using a new name, but it suggests on its official website using a 'deed poll' to apply for or to change official documents such as a passport or driving licence. Names and titles are a highly sensitive subject for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They were given their Sussex titles by Queen Elizabeth on the day of their wedding in 2018. Meghan recently insisted her surname is Sussex, correcting a guest on her Netflix cookery and lifestyle programme. In episode two of With Love, Meghan, which was released in March, the 43-year-old former actress was joined by comedienne Mindy Kaling. Meghan told her: 'It's so funny you keep saying 'Meghan Markle' – you know I'm Sussex now.' As Ms Kaling looked confused, the duchess, who has visited the county of Sussex only once, continued: 'You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children'. 'I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me but it just means so much to go 'This is OUR family name. Our little family name.' ' The Sussexes used the title princess for their daughter, Lilibet, for the first time after her christening in California was announced in 2023. A spokesman for the couple said: 'The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch. This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.' The children were subsequently officially named as prince and princess on the Royal Family's official website. Archie, now aged six, and Lilibet, who turns four on Wednesday, were named as the Prince and Princess of Sussex on the line of succession page of the official Royal Family website. They are sixth and seventh in line to the throne. Previously they were listed as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. The rules governing the titles of royal children were set out by George V – Queen Elizabeth's grandfather – in 1917. Archie and Lilibet were not prince and princess at birth, because they were not grandchildren of the monarch, but they gained the right to these titles when King Charles acceded to the throne. During the Sussexes' explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan suggested to the American chat-show host that Archie had been denied his birthright of the title 'prince' by the Palace and that the decision went against protocol. During an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan suggested that Archie had been denied his birthright of the title 'prince' by the Palace She spoke of her shock at being told he would not get police protection because he did not have a title, and suggested that the decision was taken because of his mixed race. 'It's not their right to take away,' Meghan said. Asked by Ms Winfrey, 'Do you think it's because of his race?', the duchess replied: 'In those months when I was pregnant, all around this same time, so we [had] the conversation of he won't be given security, he's not going to be given a title. And, also, concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he's born.' At the time the claims caused shock and bewilderment at Buckingham Palace, with the late Queen subsequently publishing a statement including the memorable phrase, 'some recollections may vary'.
