The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel The Daily Star's FREE newsletter is spectacular! Sign up today for the best stories straight to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up today! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Meghan Markle and Prince Harry celebrated the birth of their first child, a baby boy, in the early hours of yesterday morning. The nation has congratulated Harry, one of our favourite royals, and his lovely wife. But shortly after the birth, speculation has now turned to the boy’s name. Harry and Meghan claim they have yet to decide on a name for the seventh-in-line to the throne. (Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY) Current odds put Alexander, James, Arthur, and Spencer as the front-runners. Harry’s brother and best man, Prince William, and his wife Kate had their say on their nephew’s name. Kate told Hello magazine: “We look forward to meeting him, and finding out what his name is going to be. “So it’s really exciting for both of them. And I’m wishing them the best in these next few weeks. (Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY) “It’s always a but daunting the first time around.” Wills added he was “absolutely thrilled” for his brother and Meghan. He said: “We’re looking forward to seeing them in the next few days. I’m very pleased and glad to welcome my brother to the sleep-deprivation society that is parenting. “I wish him all the best. I hope in the next few days they can settle down and enjoy having a newborn in their family and all the joys that come with that.” (Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY) Harry told reporters yesterday his son does not have a name yet. He said: “We’re still thinking about names. “The baby’s a little overdue, so we’ve had time to think about it. That’s the next bit.”<doc-sep>Prince William and wife Kate are in North Wales today. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are visiting several locations during the course of the day. Their trip to Wales comes days after the future king's brother Prince Harry and his wife Meghan celebrated the birth of their son. Yesterday, Prince William described his younger brother's entry into parenthood as membership of the "sleep deprivation society that is parenting". As news of the birth broke yesterday, world leaders sent their well-wishes to the newest royal family. Former US first lady Michelle Obama led famous well-wishers, tweeting that "Barack and I are so thrilled for both of you and can't wait to meet him". Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said the country "joins the world in celebrating a new addition to the @RoyalFamily! (Image: PA) "Congratulations, Prince Harry & Meghan! Enjoy every minute of this happy time together as a new family of three," he tweeted. In Canada, Niagara Falls was bathed in blue light to mark the baby boy's arrival, while in Toronto the CN Tower was illuminated in purple. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern congratulated Harry and Meghan and revealed the country's gifts for the royal baby. Prince William and Kate have several engagements in North Wales today, in Caernarfon and Anglesey. You can stay with us for all the latest updates from their visit to North Wales. If you have some information you can contact us by following our Twitter feed @northwaleslive - the official North Wales Live account - real news in real time. Or like facebook.com/northwaleslive/ - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the North Wales Live. Don't forget you can also keep up to date with the latest via the free North Wales Live app. Download it for Apple devices ​here​ and Android devices ​here​ .<doc-sep>They’ve finally welcomed their son, introduced him to the world and revealed his name, but the history behind Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor's name is a story full of heartbreaking battles. Though his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle go by the titles of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and do not carry a surname, Archie does, and it’s one that some royal fans may not be entirely familiar with. In fact, the name is the actual full surname of the royal family, combining Prince Philip’s chosen surname of Mountbatten with the Queen’s own maiden name of Windsor. However, the hyphenated name was one that came about after a long battle between the Duke of Edinburgh and his wife’s family. According to Express UK, at the time of Prince Charles and Princess Anne’s births, Prince Philip’s desire to give his children the Mountbatten surname was overruled by then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Queen Mary and the Queen Mother, and his wife continued the tradition by declaring upon her coronation that the house and family would be known as Windsor. This led to a decade-long feud where he felt deeply hurt, leading to the Queen’s decision to change things when she became pregnant with Prince Andrew in 1960. Prior to his birth, it became official that any descendants of the queen who do not enjoy a His or Her Royal Highness title would adopt the last name of Mountbatten-Windsor. However, as it currently stands, Prince Harry’s son is the only member of the family who does use the last name. As her children, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward all have HRH titles as well as Duchy titles. Princess Anne is also styled as HRH. Charles and Andrew’s children also received Prince and Princess titles. Edward’s children, James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Windsor, do have the Mountbatten-Windsor surname, though they are referred to officially by their royal titles. As for why the newest member of the royal family carries the surname but Prince William's children do not, it stems from the fact that his children do carry HRH titles. Their full titles are Prince George of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Prince Louis of Cambridge—exempting them from using the surname. At least for now, Archie has not received a royal title, and unless his parents opt for him to be given one at a later date, will use the family surname throughout his life. While he would still use the surname if he had a title, he would be officially referred to by whichever one was given to him. Photo: Dominic Lipinski-WPA Pool/Getty Images<doc-sep>Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry announced the name of their baby boy, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, just two days after Meghan Markle gave birth. The news of the baby’s last name differs somewhat in comparison to other young royals like Prince George because Archie will carry the royal family’s last name—Mountbatten-Windsor. As Prince Harry’s first-born son, Archie should receive the title Earl of Dumbarton, one of Prince Harry’s subsidiary titles. But as of Wednesday, the royal family announced his name without an affixed title, indicating that the Duke and Duchess wish for him to have a more normal and private life, Marlene Koenig, an author and expert on British and European royalty, explains. Still, any of Archie’s future siblings could be known as Lady or Lord — if the parents so choose — and will have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. Why will Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children have last names? Archie’s last name stems back to King George V, who in 1917 issued a Letters Patent that would limit the use of royal titles only to the children and grandchildren of the sovereign (in the male line) and the eldest son of the eldest son of the heir. Under that ruling, only male great-grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II would be called Prince or Princess, and referred to as His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Typically, those with HRH titles do use a last name, though they can go by the name of their father’s title like Cambridge or Wales. Today, that 1917 ordinance would end with Prince George, who is the eldest son of the sovereign’s grandson. The Queen made an exception in 2013 to extend royal titles to George’s siblings, but an exception is less likely to be made for Archie, who is seventh in line for the throne. Archie will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, which has been the royal family’s surname since Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. While the royal family was known as Windsor when Elizabeth was born, she decreed in 1960 (after taking the throne in 1952) that her descendants would take the hyphenated Mountbatten-Windsor last name—to incorporate her new husband Prince Philip’s Mountbatten family surname. “What happens is Mountbatten-Windsor is used by the members of the family who don’t have a technical surname when a surname is required,” explains Victoria Arbiter, a royal expert and commentator for CNN. As for any of Archie’s younger siblings, they would carry a Lord or Lady title, similar to the children of Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex. Their daughter is Lady Louise and their son is James, Viscount Severn, taking on one of his father’s subsidiary titles, but they use Mountbatten-Windsor for official and legal purposes. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave Windsor Castle in the Ascot Landau carriage during the procession after getting married at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. James Devaney—GC Images Why is it different for Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis? Prince William’s two younger children — Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — carry their prince and princess titles because of changes made in 2013. First, the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013 removed any effect of gender on the order of succession. This prevented younger brothers from “leap-frogging” over older sisters, Arbiter says. The Queen then amended her great-grandfather’s 1917 decree with a new Letters Patent so that William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge’s children would have HRH royal titles attached to their names. In practice, it gave all three of the Cambridge children, rather than just his first son, Prince George, HRH titles. “It was really just to make sure that had a daughter been born first, she wasn’t out-ranked by a younger-born brother,” Arbiter says. Britain's Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Britain's Prince George of Cambridge hold hands with their father, Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, as Britain's Prince Louis of Cambridge is carried by Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge on their arrival for his christening service at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, London on July 9, 2018. DOMINIC LIPINSKI—AFP/Getty Images Still, the gender of this royal baby does influence his name. Whether or not the Duke and Duchess want Archie’s name styled as an Earl, he still carries that Earldom of Dumbarton. But had Harry and Meghan had a girl, she would be known as Lady, followed by her name, Mountbatten-Windsor. If confirmed, it’s not surprising that Harry and Meghan seem to have chosen to keep their son out of the royal spotlight with a normal last name and no Earldom. “Harry and Meghan have been very keen to promote this idea that they want absolute privacy for their child,” Arbiter told TIME previously. “It’s much easier to have a private life without a title.” At the end of the day, his title doesn’t matter too much because it’s almost definite that Archie will never be King. But it’s important to remember that the royal baby’s lack of an HRH title is not representative of his status or importance, Arbiter stresses, but rather a continuation of centuries-old tradition. “History is dictating how this unfolds,” she says. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Write to Rachel E. Greenspan at rachel.greenspan@time.com.<doc-sep>
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have finally announced the name of their baby boy, and although he doesn't have a royal title, he does have a last name. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first born is named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and his surname is a nod to his great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Below, we break down what it all means. Why Archie Has a Last Name According to the royal family's official website: "For the most part, members of the Royal Family who are entitled to the style and dignity of HRH [His/Her Royal Highness] Prince or Princess do not need a surname, but if at any time any of them do need a surname (such as upon marriage), that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor." This rightfully applies to Archie, who does not have a prince or princess title, or any royal title at all. However, the names of his Cambridge cousins are styled differently. Prince Louis's full name, for example, is His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge on his birth certificate—with no last name. Prince George and Princess Charlotte's names are formatted the same way. Unlike royal baby Archie, Prince Louis, who was born in April 2018, does not have a last name. Chris Jackson Getty Images The History Behind Royal Surnames The British royal family didn't always have a surname. According to their website, their ancestors used to take the names of their father's houses. For example, Edward VII was of his father Prince Albert's house, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. But in 1917, King George V (Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather) adopted Windsor as the official last name for all descendants of Queen Victoria (his grandmother). Queen Elizabeth II confirmed Windsor as the family surname when she ascended the throne in 1952, but in 1960, she and her husband Prince Philip (née Philip Mountbatten) wanted to differentiate their descendants from the rest of the royal lineage by giving them the last name Mountbatten-Windsor. The decision was confirmed by the Privy Council. "The effect of the declaration was that all The Queen's children, on occasions when they needed a surname, would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor," the royal family's website reads. King George V and Queen Mary circa 1910. Culture Club Getty Images Where Mountbatten Came From Prince Philip's last name Mountbatten has it's own interesting history. His official bio says: "During the First World War Prince Louis of Battenberg, Prince Philip's grandfather, changed the family's name to Mountbatten. Prince Phillip adopted this name when he also became a naturalised British subject and renounced his Royal title in order to marry Princess Elizabeth. Upon his marriage Prince Phillip was bestowed with the titles Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich." Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day in 1947. Hulton Deutsch Getty Images Changes Could Be Made in the Future If Harry and Meghan have any additional children and choose to not give them royal titles either, they'll also have the last name Mountbatten-Windsor. However, future descendants of Prince Charles, who is second in line for the throne, could have a different last name if he decides to make changes when he becomes king. The declaration of the Mountbatten-Windsor name also isn't statutory, according to the royal family, which means it "does not pass into the law of the land" and is not binding for future monarchs. The royals' site adds, "Unless The Prince of Wales chooses to alter the present decisions when he becomes king, he will continue to be of the House of Windsor and his grandchildren will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor."