Not unlike Madonna, Cher, and Beyoncé, members of the British royal family go by their first names. However, they do actually ...

The royal family name of Windsor was confirmed by the Queen after her accession in 1952. Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

The INSIDER Summary: • Before 1917, the British royal family had no last name at all. • That year, King George V decreed that the family surname would be Windsor.

THE Royal Family are rarely referred to by their last name and for years they did not have one. But in 1917 the Queen's grandfather King George V officially adopted a surname.

The name change to Windsor came about because there was considerable anti-German sentiment growing throughout World War I. According to Royal UK: “The family name was changed as a result of anti ...