The names of the British Royal Family have long caused confusion — and even now, details about Queen Elizabeth II continue to surprise people.
For years, many didn’t realize that Prince Harry’s real name isn’t Harry at all, but Henry. His wife Meghan has also spoken about how much it means to her to go by the surname “Sussex” rather than “Markle,” saying she loves sharing a name with her husband and their children.
The late Queen’s own name became a talking point after her death on September 8, 2022. When her official death certificate was released, it listed not only the cause of death as “old age” and the location as Aberdeenshire, but also revealed her full name: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor.
Some people admitted they didn’t even realize the monarch had a surname. One social media user said, “Oh wow, I always thought officially the Queen didn’t have a last name. So weird to see it on a document like this.” Another added: “That finally solves it — her majesty’s last name was Windsor.” A third admitted: “I legit didn’t know she had a last name lol.”
Even more surprising to some was seeing her “occupation” listed simply as: Her Majesty The Queen.
Reactions online ranged from serious to amused. One user said: “It’s really weird actually reading the Queen’s death certificate. It’s so stark and informative only. Like NAME: Elizabeth, OCCUPATION: Queen… just strange.” Others joked: “If my occupation doesn’t have the word ‘Queen’ in it on my death cert I’ll haunt you all” and “Occupation: Just being me, babes.”
This week, September 8, marked three years since Queen Elizabeth’s passing, and members of the royal family marked the anniversary in different ways.
Prince Harry, in the UK for a charity event, made a private visit to her tomb at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, laying a wreath and flowers in tribute. Meanwhile, Prince William and Kate Middleton attended an event with the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (WI), recognizing the late Queen’s decades-long connection with the organization.
Speaking with members, William said: “It’s three years since my grandmother died, she was a big part of the WI, she used to talk about it a lot. This is the first time I’ve been, and experienced the WI, so this is a huge honour for me.”
He reflected on her love of horses and breeding, joking: “I think she would have liked a few more winners.” He also revealed that the Queen once had “an old iPad” she used to watch her foals being born via a remote camera at Sandringham.
Three years on, the late Queen’s memory continues to inspire tributes — and, it seems, surprise people with details of her life that had long gone unnoticed.