British royal family change surname in 1917

The British royal family changed their surname (last name) from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917.

George V was king of England from 1910 to 1936. Son of Edward VII, King of England, and Princess Alexandra of Denmark, he married Queen Mary of Teck (called May) in 1893. Known as the Sailor Prince, he had an active naval career and rose to the rank of vice admiral in 1903.

World War One broke out in 1914 and was in full fury in 1917. In protest, King George V renounced all the German titles belonging to him and his family and adopted the name of his castle, Windsor.

Ravens are kept in the Tower of London because, according to myth, the British throne will come to a fall if the ravens leave the tower. The wings of the ravens are clipped to prevent them from flying away.

Royal ranking

A Duke is the highest rank you can achieve without being a king or a prince. Where does the Viscount, Earl or Baron rank in royalty? See How Stuff Works

You thought you knew them? In Kings & Queens of England & Great Britain, Eric R. Delderfield laid out the royal geneology in a flowing, concise way, offering tidbits of fact for each monarch. Sometimes sounding almost gossipy, Delderfield portrays his subject well. You can also browse the book online

The lighter side of Queen Elizabeth II