Just a few days ago, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex presented their newborn son to the public. The first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Although the entire public was amazed with a little baby Sussex, one person was even more pleased with the selection of the surname given to the youngest member of the British royal family. Believe you or not, it was Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip. But what made him so happy after first meeting with the little Archie? You can read this in the following text.
So, just a few days ago, more precisely on May 8, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was introduced to the whole of the United Kingdom, as well as to the world which was eagerly awaiting to see the first photos of baby Sussex that had been so much written about in the past months. After the official presentation that took place in Windsor Castle, the eighth great-grandchild of Her Royal Highness had to visit the supreme monarch of the United Kingdom. This big day for only two-days-old little Archie was very tiring.
Source: Town & Country Magazine
More important things happened on May 8 for the newest royal. On the same day, the surname was announced and it is Mountbatten-Windsor. This means that the baby Sussex did not receive a title like Lord or Prince but this last name. However, such a choice delighted his grand-grandfather, Prince Philip.
If you did not know, Prince Philip has a Danish and Greek origin. Therefore, he had the titles he used tocarry because of his origins. However, after marrying Her Majesty, the Prince received a new title that meant he became part of the British royal family. After giving up his titles he had previously taken, he accepted the name of Mountbatten, which was his mother’s maiden name. Another thing Duke of Edinburgh had to accept is that his children must not carry his last name Mountbatten.
This was confirmed by Queen Elizabeth II, who decided in the year of 1952 that all her and children of Prince Philip would carry the surname Windsor.
Because of this Queen’s decision, the Prince was very angry and said:
“I’m just a bloody amoeba.”
This sentence was his protest because he is the only man in the whole United Kingdom whose children can’t carry his last name Mountbatten.
Source: Business Insider Malaysia
His disapproval of the 1952 decision in the end was in some ways accepted eight years after that, in the year of 1960, when the Queen made a new decision according to which children who are not direct successors of the British throne and who do not have the title of Prince or Princesses with her own name, will have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.
Given that the last-born royal baby is little Archie Harrison and not a direct pretender for the British crown, his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, formally decided that he would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Also, this decision of Duke and Duchess of Sussex is in some way tribute to Prince Philip, because royals who were previously born and who have this last name are the children of Prince Edward, Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor and James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor.
Another option was under consideration. Namely, according to The Sun, baby Sussex could get the title of Lord of Dumbarton, but his parents chose a second solution.
Source: Getty Images
Also, Penny Junor, a royal author, said his opinion on this election by Harry and Meghan:
“Archie is a lovely name, but the fact that they have chosen to call him Mountbatten-Windsor.
“Prince Philip was never allowed to call his children by his own surname.
“I think it’s a really nice tribute to Harry’s grandfather.”
Also, there is still a way for Archie to get the Prince title, but this is possible in case the Queen gives up the throne or in case she passes away. That would mean that the new King of the United Kingdom is Prince Charles, and in that case, Archie would become Prince Archie.
Source: express.co.uk
