What is the King’s last name and why do the Royal Family not use their surnames?

KING Charles became the king of England after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II. Some people have been left wondering if the King has a surname and what it could be. Here's what we know.

King Charles is from the house of Windsor. His surname is Mountbatten-Windsor, as that is the adopted surname of his father Prince Philip , linked with the name of the dynasty he is from. The Royal Family website explains: "They decided that the Queen's descendants 'other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince/Princess, or female descendants who marry' could have the name Mountbatten-Windsor.

" The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh decided that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family (without changing the name of the Royal House), as Windsor is the surname used by all the male and unmarried female descendants of George V." Often members of the Royal Family do not need to use their surnames. The Royal Family's website says: "Members of the Royal Family can be known both by the name of the Royal house, and by a surname, which are not always the same.

And often they do not use a surname at all." Before 1917 royals did not have a last name and simply used the name of their father’s "House", eg Tudor. The late Queen’s grandfather, King George V, made history when he changed the house from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, but he also stated this would be his family’s surname, a royal first.