Prince Harry is said to have considered his family rebranding their surname to “Spencer” due to frustrations over delays in granting British passports to his children, Archie and Lilibet. The Guardian reported that Harry suspected that the delay was because they were using the “Sussex” title and HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) style, which could have led British officials to stall the applications.
Sources said the Duke of Sussex had talks with his late mother Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, over the potential of adopting the Spencer name. Contrary to reports by the media that Spencer had objected to the idea and threatened legal action, a source close to the issue said this was not correct.
Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, quit their royal duties in 2020 and moved to California. They have since been vocal critics of the British monarchy, surfacing in interviews and documentaries spotlighting their troubled relationship with the royal family.
There has been growing tension in the royal household, with Harry staying aloof from both his father, King Charles III, and older brother, Prince William. While giving a recent BBC interview, Harry said he wanted to reconcile but added that his father had refused to talk to him, citing an unresolved argument concerning security plans.
The public comments by the couple including those in Harry’s memoir Spare and in their Oprah Winfrey interview have further widened the chasm. The latest news highlights Harry’s increasing separation from his royal background, even as he considers aligning himself more with his mother’s side.
Though neither Buckingham Palace nor Charles Spencer has formally responded, the story contributes to another chapter of the intricate and changing saga of the Sussexes and their place in the royal family.
