Much has been written this week about royal titles, but did you know Prince Harry has a secret first name?
That’s correct; according to his son’s birth certificate, the Duke of Sussex was not given the name ‘Harry’ when he was born to his father, King Charles III, and the late Princess Diana on September 15, 1984.
Anyone else feel as if their entire life has been a lie?
Why has there been so much discussion about royal titles recently?
Earlier this week, Harry’s wife Meghan Markle disclosed that the couple and their two children have been using a secret surname behind the scenes.
The former Suits actress revealed to PEOPLE Magazine that she, Harry, five-year-old son Archie, and three-year-old daughter Lilibet had all been using ‘Sussex’ as their official surname for quite some time.
The Duchess informed the news source that the name was given to her and Harry by his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, on their wedding day.
“It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” she gushed.
“I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together.”
As previously stated, this week’s revelation has sparked an unexpected interest in modern-day monarchical names, particularly Harry’s, with son Archie’s birth certificate also making the rounds online.
Prince Harry’s’real name’
For those who need a reminder, the eldest of the Sussex children was born on May 6, 2019.
The newborn was given the full name and surname ‘Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor’ at the time, and the title was bestowed upon him and sister Lilibet before their grandpa King Charles succeeded to the throne in 2022.
What’s more remarkable is that father Harry signed the document, which Harper’s Bazaar later received, as ‘His Royal Highness Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex’.
‘Henry?’ you ask. Yep.
Sure, according to long-standing English tradition, males named Henry are nicknamed ‘Harry’. According to Metro, even the renowned head-chopper-offer Henry VIII was referred to as ‘Harry’ by his friends.
That said, 40-year-old Prince Harry once admitted that he has no idea why his parents gave him a different name.
The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle. pic.twitter.com/zdaHR4mcY6
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) November 27, 2017
Previously, at the WellChild Awards, he told a child named Henry, according to Entertainment Tonight, “My name is also Henry. “But everybody calls me Harry.”
He went on to say, “I have no idea why.”
The same title was used when Harry and Meghan announced their engagement in November 2017.
At the moment, an official royal statement read: “His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle are engaged to be married.”
