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House of Windsor facts for kids

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George V of the united Kingdom
George V of the United Kingdom

The House of Windsor is the current royal family of the United Kingdom and many other countries around the world, known as Commonwealth realms. Before this name, the family was part of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha line, which came from the House of Wettin. Later, it also connected with the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg line from the House of Oldenburg.

How the Windsor Name Began

Queen Victoria's Family History

Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. He was the son of Duke Ernst I from Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Because of this marriage, Queen Victoria's children and grandchildren were part of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha family. Their family name was Wettin.

Changing the Royal Family Name

Queen Victoria's son, Edward VII, and her grandson, George V, were kings from this family. But during World War I, there was a lot of strong anti-German feeling in Britain. Newspapers often made these feelings worse. People with German names were sometimes attacked, and shops with German names had their windows broken.

Even the Royal Family was accused of supporting Germany because of their German names and connections. To show their loyalty to Britain, on 17 July 1917, King George V made an important decision. He ordered the Royal Family to give up all their German titles. They also had to change any German-sounding names to English ones.

For example, Prince Louis Battenberg changed his name to Lord Louis Mountbatten. The Duke of Teck became the Marquis of Milford Haven. The name of the royal house, and the family's last name, was changed to Windsor. This new name came from the town of Windsor and the famous Windsor Castle.

A Royal Joke About the Name Change

When the German Emperor, William II, heard about the name change, he made a joke. He said he wanted to see Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. This was a funny way to comment on the British Royal Family changing their German name.

The Windsor Name Continues

Queen Elizabeth II's Decision

In April 1952, Queen Elizabeth II announced that her children and future descendants would continue to use the name and House of Windsor. Her husband, Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, was from the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. This family line is part of the House of Oldenburg.

The Mountbatten-Windsor Surname

On 8 February 1960, Queen Elizabeth II made another decision. She confirmed that the family would keep the House of Windsor name. However, she decided that their personal last name would be "Mountbatten-Windsor".

Mountbatten was the last name Prince Philip chose before he married the Queen. It was an English version of his mother's family name, Battenberg. So, the name Mountbatten-Windsor combines both sides of the family.

Kings and Queens of the House of Windsor

Here are the monarchs who have reigned as part of the House of Windsor:

  • King George V of the United Kingdom (reigned until 1936)
  • King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom (reigned briefly in 1936)
  • King George VI of the United Kingdom (reigned until 1952)
  • Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (reigned from 1952)

The next person in line for the throne is Prince Charles. If he becomes king, he may be known as King Charles III.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Casa de Windsor para niños

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