Think you’ve got the British royals all figured out? Let’s put that to the test. Are you the kind of Anglophile who knows Prince Charles’s full name? Here’s a little twist: it’s not as straightforward as you might think. Charles Philip Arthur George is the official name of the Prince of Wales, the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II. But hold on, because here’s the kicker—British royalty doesn’t technically have last names. That’s right, no surname needed for these royal folks.

When Last Names Matter: Mountbatten-Windsor to the Rescue

Now, don’t get me wrong. When the occasion calls for a last name, the royal family steps up with Mountbatten-Windsor. This is the name often used by the descendants of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, like Charles’s siblings, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne, who used it on their marriage registries. Take Prince William, for example. When he had to file a lawsuit over those controversial topless photos of his wife, Kate Middleton, he went with Mountbatten-Windsor as his last name. And then there’s Charles’s niece, Lady Louise, the daughter of Prince Edward. She’s the first descendant to not receive a “His/Her Royal Highness” title, so Mountbatten-Windsor it is for her too.

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The Prince of Wales visited The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment at Hyde Park Barracks yesterday. The Regiment consists of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals; the oldest and most senior regiment in the @britisharmy. . . . #ThePrinceofWales #Horse #Equestrian #Equine #Army #HydePark 📷 PA
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A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse) on Oct 25, 2017 at 2:02am PDT

House Names: Wales and Cambridge Take the Spotlight

But wait, there’s more. Sometimes the royals go back to their house names. For instance, Prince William and Prince Harry have been known to use Wales as their last name in their professional lives, according to Vogue. Now that William is the Duke of Cambridge, his son, Prince George, is rocking Cambridge as his last name at school. It’s like a royal name game, and the rules keep evolving.

And let’s not forget, one day Charles will be king, and William will step into his father’s shoes as the Prince of Wales. At that point, Prince George will have to decide which name to carry forward. #RoyalFamilyProblems, am I right?

The Royal Baby Name Game: What’s in a Name?

With all this talk of royal names, it’s no surprise that royal fans are buzzing about the newest addition to the family. Everyone’s trying to guess the first name of William and Kate’s newborn son, and let’s not forget—what’s his last name going to be? Royal historian Marlene Eilers recently spilled the beans to Town and Country magazine. She said, “The royal baby will not have a last name. The birth certificate will simply state HRH Prince or Princess, followed by all three names of Cambridge.” Guess we’ll just have to wait and see!

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