Lady Louise Windsor’s birth marked a turning point for Prince Philip after royal ‘snub’
Lady Louise Windsor’s birth was a hugely significant moment for her grandfather after the pain of his past
Lady Louise Windsor’s birth marked a major turning point for Prince Philip after a royal ‘snub’ in the early days of the Queen’s reign.
- Prince Philip was reportedly left upset after it was originally announced his descendants wouldn’t bear his surname of Mountbatten.
- The Queen later amended this decision, although Lady Louise was supposedly the first to officially be given a new surname.
- This royal news comes as it’s revealed Meghan and Harry's son Archie could go to a ‘very good’ public school.
Lady Louise Windsor is understood to have had an incredible bond with her late grandfather Prince Philip and it could have started as soon as her birth, thanks to one little-known naming choice. While some people might have always wondered where the name Mountbatten comes from, the answer is actually quite simple—it was Prince Philip’s surname. Although it almost wasn’t used by members of the Firm at all, as the Queen was reportedly persuaded to keep her surname of Windsor for her descendants whenever one was needed for the royals.
After her accession in 1952, the Royal Family name of Windsor was confirmed by the Queen. Although according to the BBC, the Duke of Edinburgh had a pretty iconic response as he supposedly expressed his pain at not being able to pass his surname on to his and the Queen’s children.
It’s claimed that he declared, “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children! I'm nothing but a bloody amoeba!”
However the Queen and Prince Philip’s 73-year marriage likely wouldn’t have been the same without some compromise and in 1960 the monarch announced a major change. It was confirmed that the Queen’s descendants who don’t have the style of Royal Highness or the title of Prince or Princess could use the name Mountbatten-Windsor, combining both the royal couple’s family names.
But while this marked a major turning point for Prince Philip, it wasn’t until his and the Queen’s granddaughter Lady Louise was born in 2003 that the significance of this change really became clear. As reported by Express.co.uk, she was the first royal to officially be given the surname Mountbatten-Windsor at birth.
Now she is best known simply as Lady Louise Windsor and although she could adopt the title of Princess in the future, it’s thought likely she won’t claim her birthright. But even though she’s not typically known by her birth surname of Mountbatten-Windsor, the moment was no doubt incredibly meaningful for her grandfather.
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Now Lady Louise is not the only prominent royal to have the name, since her cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle welcomed their son and daughter, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. Although Prince Philip sadly passed away before Lilibet's birth, he was likely very touched that the Sussexes also chose Mountbatten-Windsor for their children’s surname.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
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