Reason why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle thought of changing family name to Spencer
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle once reportedly thought of taking the birth name of his mother, Diana, as British officials delayed issuing passports for their two children — Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Citing several sources, The Guardian reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex explored the idea of taking on the name Spencer because of “sheer exasperation”.
Harry also had a meeting with his maternal uncle Earl Spencer, who was believed to have no issue with their decision.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children’s passport was delayed as it ‘included the titles HRH’
But the surname change did not happen after the children of the pair were given their passports nearly six months after the first applications were submitted despite the standard wait time of three weeks.
Harry and Meghan’s lawyers even had to send a letter threatening to follow a data subject access request.
The Guardian, citing an insider, reported that Harry and Meghan thought the delay was happening because the request for the passports included the titles HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) and the surname Sussex for both children.
“There was a clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids,” another source revealed.
King Charles ‘hadn’t wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles’
They also mentioned that “the king hadn’t wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names”.
“Harry was at a point where British passports for his children with their updated Sussex surnames (since the death of Queen Elizabeth II) were being blocked with a string of excuses over the course of five months,” they disclosed.
The tipster also stated that “out of sheer exasperation he went to his uncle to effectively say: ‘My family are supposed to have the same name and they’re stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove, if this blows up and they won’t let the kids be called Sussex, then can we use Spencer as a surname?’”
Prince Harry wants his children to have the choice of becoming working royals as adults
The Guardian also stated that Harry and Meghan seemingly want the HRH titles for their children so that they have the choice to decide if they want to become working royals, or not, after becoming adults.
But a spokesperson for the younger son of King Charles III said, “We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children.”
The pair, however, who tied the knot in 2018 stepped down from their senior royal duties in 2020 to start a new financially independent life in the US.
