Prince Harry reportedly considered changing his surname from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer \u2014 his late mother Princess Diana\u2019s maiden name \u2014 before being advised against it by her brother, Earl Spencer.<\/p>\n
According to royal commentator Charles Rae, the move would have sent a \u201cterrible message\u201d to the Royal Family and shows Harry is still unsure about his future. Speaking on The Sun\u2019s Royal Exclusive show, Rae said the reported name change highlights a shift in direction just weeks after Harry<\/a> called for reconciliation with his father and brother.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was only less than a month ago that he was pleading for a reconciliation with his father and his brother,\u201d Rae said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the next thing we hear \u2014 and I think the story was well sourced \u2014 he wants to change the name from Mountbatten-Windsor to Spencer. Well, that is sending a terrible message to the Royal Family that he doesn’t really want a reconciliation,\u201d added Rae.<\/p>\n Harry, now 40, stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States with his wife Meghan Markle. Since then, he has publicly voiced his struggles with royal life and family tensions, including in interviews and his memoir, Spare.<\/p>\n Earl Spencer, Diana\u2019s younger brother, reportedly advised Harry against making such a symbolic change. While the Duke of Sussex has not commented publicly on the claims, royal watchers see it as another sign of internal conflict as he balances royal roots with his current life abroad.<\/p>\n Mountbatten-Windsor: The Royal Family Surname Explained<\/p>\n Mountbatten-Windsor is the official surname used by the descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. It combines the royal house name, Windsor, with Mountbatten \u2014 the adopted surname of the late Duke of Edinburgh.<\/p>\n