Tom Bower, an accomplished British journalist and royal biographer, speculated in a recent interview with GB News host Dan Wootton that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might shed their "Windsor" surname in favor of "Spencer," Princess Diana's maiden name. This move, Bower suggests, may be an attempt to associate themselves more closely with the late princess.
According to Bower, the Sussexes have found themselves in a difficult position following the termination of their purported $20 million deal with Spotify and the subsequent allegations by Spotify executive Bill Simmons labeling them as "grifters". Bower sees Dior's denial of alleged contract discussions with Markle as another significant setback.
Bower commented on the situation saying, "For the Sussexes ... this is a major blow. They sabotaged themselves by being so controversial, and I think that is what people like Dior and other corporations fear. They don't want to be associated with that sort of controversy."
Bower, who authored "Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War between the Windsors," believes that the couple is now contemplating surrendering their Sussex titles and replacing the Windsor surname with Spencer. This speculation arises amidst rumors that the pair is "rebranding" following their recent commercial disappointments.
"Meghan Markle decided that her real object in life was to be Diana. That has always been her passion," Bower stated. "Meghan went to the extent of suggesting that they should drop the name Windsor and take the surname Spencer. So she'd be Meghan Spencer-the new Diana."
Bower further alleged that the couple have been discussing this prospective name change with others. "They are actively trying to recast themselves as [Harry and] Meghan Spencer," Bower claimed.
Bower asserts that this proposed transformation is "all about the break-off," which he believes would also involve relinquishing the Sussex title. He added, "The image was important, and it's all now sabotaged. That's a great blow to them because they were looking for something new, and now you have to look for something again."
Business Times was unable to independently corroborate Bower's allegations.
Queen Elizabeth II granted Harry and Meghan the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex upon their marriage in 2018. Initially, their two children used the Mountbatten-Windsor surname, but they are now known as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Both Dior and representatives for Meghan Markle denied the claims. Dior stated to WWD that there had been no contract negotiations or recent contact with Markle, while a rep for Markle told The Telegraph that there were no ongoing discussions about her becoming the face of the French fashion house.
