What is the royal family's German last name?

The British Royal Family's German Roots

Long before they became the House of Windsor, the British royal family bore a distinctly German name: Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. This lineage traces back to 1840, when Queen Victoria married her cousin, Prince Albert. Though born a German prince, Albert was much more than a royal import—he became one of the most influential consorts in British history.

Albert hailed from the small duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in what is now modern-day Germany. His father, Ernst, was the ruling Duke. When Victoria and Albert wed, the name entered the British royal bloodline through marriage—a common practice among European nobility aiming to strengthen political and familial ties across borders.

For decades, the British monarchy proudly carried the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha name. But as World War I erupted in 1914, anti-German sentiment surged across Britain. The royal family’s German roots suddenly became a public relations liability. In 1917, King George V, grandson of Victoria and Albert, made a decisive change: he renamed the royal house Windsor, after the famous castle. This rebrand wasn’t just symbolic—it was a strategic move to align the monarchy more closely with British identity during a time of national crisis.

Though the name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha faded from official use, its legacy endures. Countless European royal families are connected through this lineage, and the cultural impact of Prince Albert—his love of the arts, industry, and innovation—still echoes in Britain today.

So while Windsor is the name we know today, the roots beneath it are quietly, unmistakably German.