Prince Harry asked Princess Diana's brother for advice on changing family name

Prince Harry reportedly sought advice from Princess Diana 's brother about changing his family name.

It's been almost thirty years since was killed in a car crash in Paris at the age of 36. Her younger brother Earl Spencer was just 32 years old at the time, while their sister Sarah and Jane were 42 and 40 years old.

Earl Charles Spencer recently made a The Earl made his debut as a panellist on today, as the panel were talking about their close bonds with their siblings.

Explaining how it felt to lose a sibling, Earl Spencer said it's like an "amputation." He later revealed that for years after his sister's tragic death, he thought he had to "ring her to tell her something" – before realising he couldn't anymore.

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The Duchess of Sussex gave up her royal title along with husband Prince Harry when they stepped down as senior royals in March 2020. They still retain the HRH titles, which Harry has had since birth, but are not supposed to use them for commercial purposes.

Names and titles continue to be a highly sensitive subject for the pair. The Sussex title was given to the pair on the morning of their wedding in May 2018 by Prince Harry's late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

But, the Mail on Sunday has revealed explored ways to take his mother's surname and ditch Mountbatten-Windsor, used by his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and a name cherished by .

It is understood Prince Harry discussed the issue with Earl Spencer during a rare visit to Britain, but was told that the legalities surrounding the change were to great to overcome. A friend of Prince Harry told : "They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step".

The surname Mountbatten-Windsor is only available to descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and . It combines the 's name of Windsor and the Duke of Edinburgh 's adopted surname.

Royal author Tom Bower has claimed that 'Meghan decided her real object in life was to be Diana'. If the name change had succeeded, Meghan's daughter would have become Lilibet Diana Spencer.

According to the Government, you do not have to follow a legal process to start using a new name, but it suggests on its official website using a 'deed poll' to apply for or to change official documents such as a passport or driving licence.

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