EXCLUSIVE: The delay is said to have contributed to Prince Harry sounding out his uncle, Earl Spencer, about dropping the "Mountbatten-Windsor" surname in favour of "Spencer".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle considered adopting the Spencer surname for their family after British officials repeatedly delayed issuing passports for their children, according to a source. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's UK passports were eventually issued nearly six months after the initial applications,

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry nearly changed their family name to Spencer -- the maiden name of his late mother, Princess Diana -- out of "sheer exasperation" from ongoing passport issues for their kids,