On this date in 1917, King George V, by royal proclamation, changed the name of his family from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to Windsor. When a German aircraft named Gotha started bombing London, the royal name had become somewhat of a liability.
The family name had come from Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. In addition, Victoria’s mother was the Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were first cousins.
George V was a grandson of Albert and Victoria. Of course, so were Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia — Albert and Victoria had nine children and 42 grandchildren. On hearing that his cousin had changed the family name, Kaiser Wilhelm said he intended to see Shakespeare’s play “The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.”
By decree, Elizabeth kept the name Windsor for the family and her descendants. She is Albert and Victoria’s great, great granddaughter. Prince Philip, her husband, was born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. He had no surname, but adopted Mountbatten from his English grandparents when he became a British citizen. He too is a great, great grandchild of Albert and Victoria.
Windsor came from Windsor Castle, which has been a royal residence since 1110.