Have you ever wondered what the last name of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is? Typically, both the queen and other family members are referred to by their first names.
Young Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. (Photo: Internet)
This is because until the early 20th century, British monarchs and their family members did not have surnames. Instead, according to the official royal family website, kings and princes were known by the name of the county they ruled.
The website states: “The names of dynasties tend to change when the line of succession is taken over by a rival faction within the family (for example, Henry IV and the House of Lancaster, Edward IV and the Yorkists, Henry VII and the Tudors), or when succession passes to a different branch of the family through a female (for example, Henry II and the House of Anjou, James I and the House of Stuart, George I and the House of Hanover).”
The British royal family celebrating the Platinum Jubilee for Queen Elizabeth. (Illustrative photo: Internet)
However, thanks to King George V, this changed in 1917 when he ruled that his family and all descendants would have the surname Windsor. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh wanted to distinguish their descendants from the rest of the royal family, so their descendants would be known as Mountbatten-Windsor.
The website further states: “Unless the Prince of Wales chooses to change the current decisions when he becomes king, he will continue to be a member of the House of Windsor, and his descendants will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.”
The full name of Queen Elizabeth II is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary.
