There has been a lot of speculation as to what's next for Prince Harry. It's been just two weeks since he officially left his role as a senior royal. Still, Harry's life after royalty has been the talk of royal circles since he announced the decision to step down in January.
Among the many details that have been speculated about is which name Harry will go by. He's previously told people not to call him Prince Harry anymore. Of course, just Harry isn't a legally viable name.
The Daily Mail has uncovered some paperwork that could provide a clue. The newspaper obtained documents registering Harry's new eco-friendly tourism firm, Travalyst. The company was launched in Edinburgh. The documents list Harry's name as Prince Henry Charles Albert David, Duke of Sussex.
There are two details about this name that are notable. For one, Harry does use the title of Prince despite asking others not to refer to him as such. There is also no sign of his actual last name, Mountbatten-Windsor, which he gave to 11-month-old son Archie when he was born.
So many things have changed for Prince Harry since the new year. He has called two new countries home. He has stepped down from his role as a working senior royal. Now he's also apparently working out a new name.
There has always been confusion as to royal last names. Up until the 19th century, the British royal family technically didn't have a last name. It was Queen Elizabeth's grandfather, King George V, who declared their last name be Windsor, after Windsor Castle.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip adapted the last name for their direct descendants. In 1947, Philip became a British citizen and took the last name Mountbatten. In 1960, they announced that their descendants would use Mountbatten-Windsor as their last name.
As a result, both William and Harry use the last name Mountbatten-Windsor. This makes Harry's full name Prince Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor. He also gave the Mountbatten-Windsor last name to son Archie.
However, recent business filings reveal that Harry isn't using the Mountbatten-Windsor last name. The Daily Mail reports that documents filed in Edinburgh registering his new eco-friendly tourism firm, Travalyst, show Harry going by Prince Henry Charles Albert David, Duke of Sussex.
This is also interesting considering how recently Harry has requested he not be referred to as a prince. At a February 26 Travalyst event, he asked to be referred to as "just Harry."
Host Ayesha Hazarika told the audience, "He's made it clear that we are all just to call him Harry. So ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, warm, Scottish welcome to Harry."
Now before we read to much into the name change, there are some things to consider. For one, the lack of use of the last name doesn't denote a legal change. It's also not the only last name Harry has ever used. In school and in the military, both he and William used Wales as a surname.
In a French lawsuit, William and Kate were regarded as Mountbatten-Windsors. However, that's about the only time the couple has used the last name, and likely because French law doesn't allow the use of royal titles. Additionally, none of their children were given the Mountbatten-Windsor name.
In school, Prince George and Princess Charlotte both use Cambridge as their last name. This is in the same vein as William and Harry using Wales. It's entirely common to simplify matters in such a way, which means that both Harry and Archie could, in theory, use Sussex as a last name.
There has been a lot of talk around names where Harry and Meghan are concerned. They recently revealed the name of their work-in-progress charitable entity, Archewell. They even revealed it inspired Archie's name.
This flies in the face of a lingering conspiracy theory that the couple stole the name Archie. In an appearance during Meghan's pregnancy, Kate revealed Prince George had given himself the nickname Archie. Some believe Meghan and Harry picked the name as a result. This is despite the fact that it's just as likely that George was trying on his cousin-to-be's name for size.
With so many things in flux, we're sure to see many more changes from Harry and Meghan. The couple is trying to figure things out with all eyes on them, and it won't be easy. For every one of the critics prepared to criticize every change, there are just as many who are ready to support their pursuit of happiness.
