If you thought you knew everything about Prince Harry — Duke of Sussex, royal rebel, and the guy who walked away from the palace with a Netflix deal — you might want to sit down for this one. Because “Prince Harry” isn’t even his real name.
Yep, Harry was actually born Henry Charles Albert David in 1984, a name that sounds like the cast list of a period drama, reported the Mirror. His late mother, Princess Diana, picked it, and apparently decided to never use it again.
The Palace may call him Prince Henry of Wales, but his parents, brother Prince William, and pretty much everyone else have always called him Harry. Even Harry doesn’t know why.
“I have no idea why,” he confessed in a video chat with a young WellChild award winner named—you guessed it—Henry. “My name is Henry as well. But everyone calls me Harry.”
If he ever becomes king, his official title would be King Henry IX.
The royal name plot thickens
Turns out Meghan Markle isn’t really Meghan either. The Duchess of Sussex was actually born Rachel Meghan Markle. That’s right—Rachel. Funnily enough, Rachel was also her character’s name in Suits, the show that made her a household name before she married into the world’s most famous family.
Meghan dropped this little truth bomb during an appearance on The Rachael Ray Show, casually saying, “Did you know my first name is Rachel in real life?” Just as she was about to spill the rest of the story, the host cut her off. Talk about a royal cliffhanger.
But the name surprises don’t end there. Their son, Prince Archie, carries the middle name Harrison, literally meaning “son of Harry.”
Although, fun fact: Harry and Meghan were apparently torn between calling him Archie or Harrison. Meghan even revealed during a chat at the Invictus Games that they went back and forth before landing on Archie.
Then there’s Princess Lilibet, the couple’s youngest, who carries one of the most sentimental royal names of all. Named after Queen Elizabeth’s childhood nickname (because baby Liz couldn’t pronounce “Elizabeth” properly), Lilibet also has Diana as her middle name—a tribute to Harry’s late mother.
So let’s recap:
Prince Harry = Henry Charles Albert David
Meghan Markle = Rachel Meghan Markle
Prince Archie = Archie almost-Harrison Harrison
Princess Lilibet Diana = Tiny royal homage wrapped in royal legacy