**Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Opt for Sussex as Family Surname After Considering a Change**

In an interesting twist within the British royal family, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have embraced the surname "Sussex" for their family, an identity drawn from their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. This move comes after reportedly considering adopting the maiden name of Princess Diana, "Spencer," as their family name.

The contemplation of a surname change was revealed during Prince Harry's conversation with his uncle, Charles Spencer, who is the younger brother of Diana. The idea was presumably to honor Diana's memory by assuming her maiden name. However, Charles Spencer advised against the transition, citing potential "legal hurdles" that could complicate such a change.

Ultimately, Harry and Meghan decided to abandon their original surname “Mountbatten-Windsor”. This name combined Queen Elizabeth II's lineage from the House of Windsor with Prince Philip's surname, Mountbatten, following their marriage in 1947. This combined surname has been used by the royal family since around 1960, surfacing officially for the first time in 1973.

The use of the Sussex surname has been publicly reinforced by Meghan herself. In the first season of Netflix's "With Love, Meghan," she clearly pointed out her preference during a conversation with her friend, Mindy Kaling, emphasizing that her name is "Sussex now." Meghan elaborated that sharing the same surname with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, bears deep personal significance and unites their family under one name.

Initially, upon their births in 2019 and 2021 respectively, Archie and Lilibet bore the surname Mountbatten-Windsor on their birth certificates. This changed when the family transitioned to using Sussex as their surname, reflecting a new chapter in their lives apart from the traditional royal lineage.

According to reports, this move reflects not only a personal but also symbolic severance from the rest of the royal family, amidst growing speculations of an ongoing rift. It signifies Harry and Meghan's desire to establish their distinct identity while maintaining a connection to their noble titles as bestowed upon them by the late Queen Elizabeth II during their wedding on May 19, 2018.