Mountbatten-Windsor

Under an ambiguously-worded Order-in-Council issued in 1960, the name Mountbatten-Windsor is the personal surname of some of the descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It differs from the official name of the British Royal Family or Royal House, which remains Windsor. The change of surname does not apply to members of the royal family who are not descended from the Queen. The Order specifically applies the surname to those descendants of the Queen not holding Royal styles and titles but in practice it is used by all the British Royal Family descended from Queen Elizabeth II as their surname, as shown at the marriages of the Prince of Wales and the Princess Royal, when both used Mountbatten-Windsor in their entries in the marriage registers.

History of the name Mountbatten

Mountbatten originates in the German Battenberg. Prince Louis of Battenberg changed his surname to Mountbatten (a literal English translation) during the First World War at the request of King George V. When the then Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark took British citizenship, he used this as his surname, as he descends from the Mountbatten family through his mother. It may also be seen as an act in honour of the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the Prince's uncle.

Related Topics:
Mountbatten - Battenberg - Prince Louis of Battenberg - King George V - Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark - Mother - Earl Mountbatten of Burma

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