Prince Harry's 'Royal Divorce' Shock: How Exiled Duke Consulted Princess Diana's Brother About Him and His Family Taking Tragic Mother's Spencer Surname

Prince Harry has reportedly sought advice from his late mother Princess Diana's brother about changing his family name to Spencer, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Sources claimed the Duke of Sussex actively mulled over adopting his mother's surname and ditching the Mountbatten-Windsor name currently held by his family.

During a rare visit to Britain, Harry reportedly had "a very amicable conversation" with Earl Spencer at his historic family seat, Althorp, only to be advised against changing his surname due to legal complications.

A friend of Harry disclosed: "Spencer advised him against taking such a step." The conversation between the two princes took place amid an ongoing toxic rift straining the bond between Harry and the rest of the Royal Family. Given the ongoing fallout, it's no surprise that such a proposal would likely cause dismay for both his brother and father.

Mountbatten-Windsor, which combines the royal name of Windsor with the Duke of Edinburgh's surname, has been the official surname for descendants of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. On their birth certificates, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children are listed as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Royal author Tom Bower recently claimed: "(Meghan Markle) decided her real object in life was to be Diana."

Should Harry go through with the name change, Meghan's daughter would become Lilibet Diana Spencer — a name steeped in meaningful tribute to the prince's late mother. The proposal would have been particularly painful for King Charles, who has long held the Mountbatten name in high esteem, mirroring the sentiments of his father, Prince Philip.

The 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma — a mentor to Philip — had a profound influence on the future King Charles. Philip adopted the Mountbatten name after becoming a naturalized British citizen in 1947, and it was in 1960 that the Queen and Philip decided their direct descendants would bear the Mountbatten-Windsor name.

According to official Government guidelines, one does not require any legal process to start using a new surname, although a "deed poll" is recommended for changing official documents like a passport or driver's license.

Names and titles remain a sensitive subject for Harry and Meghan, who were bestowed with their Sussex titles by Queen Elizabeth during their 2018 wedding. Recently, Meghan emphasized her chosen surname in a Netflix show, correcting a guest by stating, "You know I'm Sussex now."

In an emotional moment, she expressed the significance of sharing a family name: "I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me...It just means so much to go, 'This is OUR family name.'"