Archie & Lilibet Are Now Using A Different Last Name Than They Were Born With

One of the funniest little details about being a member of the royal family is the lack of a last name. When people discuss King Charles or Prince William, for instance, they don’t include a last name. As was the case with the late Queen Elizabeth, her husband Prince Philip, and up until recently, 4-year-old Prince Archie and 2-year-old Princess Lilibet. Now we know. They are officially Archie and Lilibet Sussex. And while there are plenty of people who are mad because they love to be mad at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, there’s actually a logical explanation behind their last name.

Markle and Prince Harry, or Meghan and Harry Sussex as they are now known, launched a rebrand of their official charitable website on Wednesday. The website formerly known as Archewell.com is now Sussex.com. Because it is the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, titles bestowed upon the couple by Queen Elizabeth when they were married in May 2018. “The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, is shaping the future through business and philanthropy,” the description of their website now reads.

The new rebrand to use the name Sussex (and ditch the name Markle, apparently) includes an official last name for their children Archie Sussex and Lilibet Sussex. Previously, Prince Archie was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet was Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, while their parents used the last name Sussex. King Charles’ coronation has made it possible for the family to finally share the same last name.

A royal source told The Times that this “unifying” name was behind the rebrand. “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. That’s a big deal for any family. It represents their unification and it’s a proud moment.”

The couple have been criticized for “cashing in” on their royal connection by adopting the last name Sussex for their children, but there is actually royal precedence here. Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children were formerly the Cambridges, as their parents were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and have since become the Wales children when their parents became the Prince and Princess of Wales.

At least now we know, they all have the same last name. And it’s a good one too.