Meghan Markle’s new royal surname is a real tongue-twister
When Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry on May 19, 2018, she will almost be able to keep her initials.
But her name will become much longer, as she will move from her birth name, Rachel Meghan Markle, to Rachel Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor.
The double-barrel surname comes from the surnames of both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, after a change to royal laws was made in 1960.
According to the official British royal family website:
"In 1960, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh decided that they would like their own descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family, as Windsor is the surname used by all the male and unmarried female descendants of George V.
“It was therefore declared in the Privy Council that the Queen’s descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince/Princess, or female descendants who marry, would carry the name of Mountbatten-Windsor."
Officially though, Meghan will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales. This is based on the convention that the wife of a royal takes on the feminine version of his name. Which means that Duchess Kate is actually Princess William.
It’s likely that Meghan will become a duchess too after marrying Harry, but this will depend on what the Queen decides. According to 9Honey News, it’s been speculated that Harry will be named the Duke of Sussex, which is the most prominent vacant title currently available.
There is also the issue of Markle’s Catholicism. Despite the rules being changed to allow senior royals to marry a Catholic, there is still a law in place that would prevent their children from taking the throne.
According to 9Honey News, the King or Queen is also known as the Head of the Church of England. They carry the title of Defender of the Faith, namely, the Anglican faith. However it is possible that when Charles takes the throne he may amend these rules.
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