Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considered adopting the Spencer surname for their family after British officials repeatedly delayed issuing passports for their children, according to a source.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's UK passports were eventually issued nearly six months after the initial applications, following legal threats from the Sussexes' lawyers.
The passports were finally granted days after solicitors sent a letter threatening to pursue a data subject access request, which could have exposed details of the delays and any behind-the-scenes discussions amongst British officials.
Sources close to the couple indicated they believed UK officials were deliberately stalling because the passport applications included HRH titles for both children and used the Sussex surname, which the family had already begun using publicly.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considered adopting the Spencer surname for their family after British officials repeatedly delayed issuing passports for their children, according to a source.
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Prince Harry met face-to-face with his uncle Earl Spencer to discuss the name change after reaching a point of "sheer exasperation", according to sources.
The Earl was reportedly enthusiastic and supportive of the proposal, which would have seen the family adopt Diana's maiden name.
"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," a source close to the Sussexes said.
The source explained that Harry told his uncle: "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?"
Prince Harry met face-to-face with his uncle Earl Spencer to discuss the name change after reaching a point of "sheer exasperation", according to sources.
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The standard processing time for a passport is three weeks, but after three months of waiting due to "technical issues", the Sussexes reapplied using the 24-hour expedited service.
This meeting was cancelled at the last minute because of a "systems failure", according to sources.
"There was clear reluctance to issue passports for the kids," a source close to the Sussexes said.
The source claimed that "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".
Until 2023, Archie had held both US and British passports under the name Mountbatten-Windsor, before the family began using Sussex publicly.
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Harry and Meghan relinquished the honorific in 2020 as part of their agreement with Queen Elizabeth II when they ceased performing royal duties.
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The Guardian understands that Prince Harry wants to maintain the HRH titles for his children so they can decide for themselves when older whether to become working royals or remain out of public life.
Harry and Meghan relinquished the honorific in 2020 as part of their agreement with Queen Elizabeth II when they ceased performing royal duties.
The couple were reportedly angered by a Mail on Sunday report earlier this week claiming Earl Spencer had advised Harry against the name change, citing insurmountable legal hurdles.
"It's completely untrue," a source said.
A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said: "We do not comment on private issues pertaining to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children."
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