Insider Claims One Royal 'Almost Forced' Harry and Meghan to Change Archie and Lilibet’s Names

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, now go by the surname 'Sussex'. This meant a change of passports for their children. However, after "repeated delays by British officials" in processing the documents, the Sussexes, allegedly, were ‘almost forced’ to change their kids’ names.

An insider told The Guardian, Harry once considered adopting his mother's maiden name, Spencer, instead for his children. He allegedly went to his uncle, Charles Spencer, to seek advice on whether he should change the kids’ surnames. The source said, “Harry was at a point where British passports for his children with their updated Sussex surnames (since the death of Queen Elizabeth II) were being blocked with a string of excuses over the course of five months.”

The insider continued, “Out of sheer exasperation he went to his uncle to effectively say, 'My family are supposed to have the same name and they’re stopping that from happening because the kids are legally HRH, so if push comes to shove, if this blows up and they won’t let the kids be called Sussex, then can we use Spencer as a surname?’” It reportedly took the couple six months to receive Archie and Lili’s passports after they had applied. The Sussexes would have had to wait longer to receive the same if their lawyers hadn't sent a "threatening letter to pursue a data subject access request," demanding an explanation for the delay.

The insider further claimed it was the monarch, King Charles, himself who was behind the delay, as he didn't want his grandkids to go by Sussex. The source said, “There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids... The King hadn’t wanted Archie and Lili to carry the titles, most of all the HRH, and the British passports, once created, would be the first and perhaps the only legal proof of their names.” A spokesperson for the Sussexes, when asked to confirm the same, told the publication, "We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children.”

Markle, on her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, had earlier made it clear that sharing the same name with her children was important to her. Correcting her friend Mindy Kaling about her name, the 43-year-old said, “It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now.” She added, “You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children.' I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, 'This is our family name. Our little family name.’”