The late Queen Elizabeth II was most commonly known to all of us as The Queen.
There was little need to mention the name Elizabeth, for simply ‘The Queen’ would suffice.
Her Majesty was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary in 1926 – and titled Princess Elizabeth of York as a child – before becoming Princess Elizabeth, The Duchess of Edinburgh, on marriage to Prince Philip in 1947.
In 1952, as she acceded to the throne, she became The Queen, which is how Her Majesty remained for 70 years – and will be remembered following her passing in September 2022.
But er… nowhere in there is any mention of a family surname.
So, did The Queen have a last name at all?
The Queen was pretty much mononymous… but did have a family last name: Windsor.
The royal House of Windsor was proclaimed on June 19, 1917 by George V, The Queen’s grandfather.
The decision changed the family’s surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, so male-line descendants of Queen Victoria used the last name Windsor from then on.
Note the change occurred in the latter half of the First World War, and that the previous name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was Germanic in origin.
Those with the style His or Her Royal Highness (aka a Prince or Princess) didn’t typically need to use a surname – though they could use Windsor if they needed to, as in The Queen’s case.
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The Queen’s surname was not Mountbatten-Windsor, however.
In 1952, Queen Elizabeth II confirmed that the name of the royal house would remain Windsor.
However, in 1960, Her Majesty decided that her own direct descendants would use Mountbatten-Windsor. For example, her eldest son, now King Charles III, could use this if a surname was ever required.
‘Mountbatten’ represents the late Duke of Edinburgh’s adopted surname, upon naturalising as a UK citizen and dropping his title as a Prince of Greece and Denmark.
It was chosen after his maternal uncle, Lord Mountbatten.
Today, there are a number of Royal Family members with surnames Windsor and Mountbatten-Windsor.
The daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, The Countess of Wessex – and The Queen’s granddaughter – is named Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.
Her younger brother is titled James, Viscount Severn, but also shares the surname.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex’s children are called Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.
Meanwhile the granddaughter of The Queen’s cousin, Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent, is called Lady Amelia Windsor – and her sister is Lady Marina Windsor.
MORE : What is King Charles III’s surname? Monarch’s full name revealed
MORE : Is London’s Prince Charles Cinema changing its name to reflect King Charles III’s ascension to the throne?
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