Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Change Their Children's Last Names From Mountbatten-Windsor to Sussex Despite Leaving the Royal Family in 2020

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently unveiled their new website, sussex.com, and fans quickly realized the duo dropped their inherited last name, Mountbatten-Windsor, to reflect their royal titles. When Prince Archie was born, he was given the last name Mountbatten-Windsor to reflect his lineage, but the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will refer to their kids as Prince Archie Sussex and Princess Lilibet Diana Sussex going forward.

“The reality behind the new site is very simple — it’s a hub for the work the Sussexes do and it reflects the fact the family have, since the King’s coronation, the same surname for the first time,” a source told an outlet. “That’s a big deal for any family. It represents their unification and it’s a proud moment.”

The Mountbatten title comes from Prince Philip's family and the Windsor name stems from the late Queen Elizabeth.

OK! previously reported royal expert Ingrid Seward believes Elizabeth wouldn't approve of the couple rebranding themselves as the Sussexes instead of prioritizing their Archewell brand.

"The late Queen was fond of Harry and Meghan. She saw their potential as a couple working for the Commonwealth – her Commonwealth. It was her father's legacy," Seward told an outlet. "Then it became hers."

"The Queen saw Meghan's mixed-race heritage, her youth and style combined with intelligence, as a major plus for the monarchy," Seward explained. "Imagine her distress when everything she had hoped for from Harry and Meghan failed to materialize."

"In 2020 instead of being supportive of the monarchy they wanted to leave," she added. "That is when the steely will of the Queen came into play."

When Meghan and Harry left the U.K., they hoped they would split their time between the region and Canada, but Her Majesty wouldn't allow them to be part-time royals.

"With the support of her aged husband, she made it clear it was not possible to do what they wanted — be half in and half out of the monarchy. She told them they could not trade on their royal connections for financial gain," the commentator stated. ''She subsequently forbade them from using the website name sussexroyal.com and their HRHs."

"She would have been hurt and angry at the latest developments," she continued.

Although the pair stepped away from their royal platform when they lost their HRH status, they found a way to promote themselves while depending on their proximity to the crown.

"They have loopholed her command by using the slightly different name sussex.com with a link to Sussex Royal," Seward shared. "How tragic it should have come to the half-truths they now appear to depend on to get their own way. They could have had it all and for a brief time they did."

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Meghan subtly addressed the controversy surrounding her domain in a statement.

"There is a reason I have worked with Ryan and the talented team at Article for a decade: their attention to detail, their creativity and care, and the thoughtful approach to design as well as to the user experience," the Suits star said.

"They're not just designers; they are collaborators who elevate your ideas into visual identities," the mom-of-two added. "They're a very special company. Plus they're Canadian, so I'm a fan."

Sources spoke to The Times.