The Royal House of Windsor

Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Current Head: Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (born: April 21, 1926)
Reigned: Since February 1952 
Consort: HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh 

Successor: HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales
 
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 04: Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she looks out from the royal box during the Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 4, 2010 in Braemar, Scotland. The Braemar Gathering is the most famous of the Highland Games and is known worldwide. Each year thousands of visitors descend on this small Scottish village on the first Saturday in September to watch one of the more colourful Scottish traditions. The Gathering has a long history and in its modern form it stretches back nearly 200 years. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II
The House of Windsor came into existence only in 1917 when the grandson of Queen Victoria, George V made an announcement that his family would henceforth be known as the House of Windsor. During World War I, Great Britain was in war with Germany who was ruled at that time with George's first cousin, Emperor William II. The central powers composed of Germany and the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary, were hated by the English subjects that the King was ridiculed in Britain for being German. All Germans living in England were suspected of being spies which caused the King's cousin, Prince Louis of Battenberg, forced to give up his position in the Royal Navy as the first Sea Lord of England, the Prince, who was the husband of Princess Victoria, a first cousin of George V through Queen Victoria, was also forced to give up his Princely title so the King made him a nobleman offering a title of Marquess of Milford-Haven. Prince Louis accepted because he wanted her children to be of noble descent. He also took a surname (traditionally, royals had no surnames) MOUNTBATTEN, an anglicized version of Battenberg. the Queen's husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is Prince Louis's grandson.

Lord Stamfordham, the King's private secretary, secured his place in history when he proposed the name of WINDSOR as the new name of the royal house of King George V. The name symbolized sentiments, charm and mystic and very English in origin, it is the name of the ancient fortress, Windsor Castle, where English Kings took residence for many centuries.

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 30: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh attend a garden party at Government House on June 30, 2010 in Ottawa, Canada. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are on an eight day tour of Canada starting in Halifax and finishing in Toronto. The trip is to celebrate the centenary of the Canadian Navy and to mark Canada Day. On July 6th The royal couple will make their way to New York where the Queen will address the UN and visit Ground Zero. (Photo by Chris Jackson-Pool/Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
The King agreed and made an announcement on July 1917 that his family and all descendants of Queen Victoria through male lines would be known as House and Family of Windsors from now on. His cousin, Emperor William II of Germany, made poked fun at him, calling the action of the British King as overtly eccentric.

In 1960, after public pressure, Queen Elizabeth II, announced that in reverence to her grandfather, she would reign under the name of Windsor but made it clear that all her descendants would use the name Mountbatten-Windsor if needs arise. Her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is her third cousin through Queen Victoria and the grandson of Prince Louis of Battenberg. Philip, a Greek Prince and was sixth in line to the Greek throne when he gave up his place in the succession in 1947 in order to marry Elizabeth and became a British subject, used the name Mountbatten in 1947 after he gave up his Greek citizenship.

THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY

HM The Queen
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Children:
HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall 
      HRH Prince William of Wales
      HRH Prince Harry of Wales
HRH Prince Andrew, the Duke of York
      HRH Princess Beatrice of York
      HRH Princess Eugenie of York
HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex
HRH The Countess of Wessex
     HRH The Lady Louise Windsor
     HRH Viscount Severn
HRH Princess Anne, the Princess Royal
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