How The Windsor Family Became 'British'

The Windsor Family, whose roots come from an obscure part of Germany, became the ultimate British royal family through a series of uniquely shrewd steps through the lives of aristocrats and British nobility.

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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
1:50 Chapter 1: The Anglo-German Legacy
6:40 Chapter 2: The Holy Roman Windsors
9:52 Chapter 3: From Belgium To Britain
13:43 Chapter 4: Becoming “English”

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In the summer of 1917, amid World War I's fervor, the British royal family underwent a transformative change.

King George V, responding to rising anti-German sentiment exacerbated by wartime tensions and a recent tragic bombing by German forces, issued a proclamation renouncing all German titles and dignities.

The royal family’s name was changed from the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the distinctly British 'House of Windsor,' a strategic move to align the monarchy with national sentiment and distance it from its Germanic roots.

This decision was emblematic of the complex, intertwined history of the English and German peoples.

The shared lineage dates back to ancient Germanic tribes such as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who migrated to Britain and laid the early foundations of English culture and language.

Linguistically, English and German share significant similarities due to these historical ties, with many common words and grammatical structures.

Politically, the connection was further solidified with the Hanoverian succession to the British throne in the 18th century, marking a period of direct German lineage in British royalty that continued until Queen Victoria.

The royal family’s German connections were not merely a backdrop but played a pivotal role throughout its history.

The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, to which they originally belonged, was deeply embedded in the Holy Roman Empire's aristocracy, with roots tracing back to the 10th-century noble Theodoric of Vettin.

This lineage wielded considerable influence across central Europe, shaping the region's political and cultural landscape over centuries.

Queen Victoria’s marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert brought the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha name into the British royal family.

Albert’s impact on British society was significant, advocating for various social reforms and helping to modernize the monarchy.

Their children’s marriages to other European royals spread their influence further, embedding the family across the continent.

However, as World War I raged, the British public’s wariness of this German heritage grew, culminating in King George V’s decision to rebrand the royal family as the Windsors.

This change was not only symbolic but also a practical move to reaffirm the monarchy’s loyalty to Britain amidst widespread anti-German sentiment.

The new name, Windsor, was chosen for its quintessentially British connotation, linking the royal family to one of its most iconic residences.

Today, the House of Windsor embodies a blend of British tradition with a backdrop of German ancestry, a testament to centuries of dynastic marriages and geopolitical alliances that have shaped its legacy.

Despite the initial rebranding efforts to Anglicize their image, modern members of the royal family, like King Charles III, continue to acknowledge and celebrate their German roots through cultural exchanges and personal engagements.

[oldmoneyluxury]

COMMENT: Do you consider The House of Windsor to be a quintessentially English family - or a secret German one?

[AndreaPortley]

When I first saw the title, I immediately thought of Prince Albert and Queen Victoria! Our junior high history teacher Mr. Stewart taught us about the royal house of Germany and how they took over England. We also learned the Christmas Tree came from German monarchy Prince Albert.

[kybalion]

I seldom miss an opportunity to use “Battenburg” during conversations about the Royal family

[impartial]

After WWI, King George V and Queen Mary "liberalized" or widened the scope of potential marriage partners for their children to include members of the British aristocracy/nobility. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen-Mother, was of Scottish and English ancestry. Hence, the late Queen Elizabeth II was at least half "native" British ancestry. Queen Elizabeth then married Prince Philip of Germano-Danish ancestry. Their son, Charles, now King, married Diana, who is of English ancestry including some Stuart blood. William will have at least 50% English ancestry including being a descent of King Charles II. Prince George will have even more English ancestry through the Middletons.

[sophiamanukova]

In Hanover Germany I saw the graves of the British Kings and in Holland I saw huge billboards with the family tree of European Royals. They all have the same ancestry

[robnewman]

Kings & Queens of England since 1066.
Our Longest Regining Monarch.

[patrickformentos]

Had they followed the traditional way of children carrying their father’s surname, the dynastic name of the ruling monarch of the UK today should be the House of Glücksburg

[titizroyal]

I think it is a secret German one. Thank you for your documentation.

[abubakarahmadu]

Interesting historical lineage. Very informative.

[kellicoffman]

German I guess by blood 🩸. The late queen looked much like my German grandmother. However as they did make the proclamation so English by choice

[robnewman]

Georgian Era 1714-1837.
Victorian Era 1837-1901
Edwardian Era 1901-1910.

[maryroberts]

My family and Prince Philip’s family came from the same area of Germany

[here_we_go_again]

*The British Royal Family may be mostly Germanic; but that is not true of the British people themselves*
However, the BRF are getting more "British" since the time of George VI (Elizabeth -Queen Mum), Charles III (Diana), William, PoW
(Catherine)

Irish = Celts who speak the "Q" dialect of Gaelic/Celtic that originated in the northern portion of the Iberian peninsula.
Ireland was settled by Iberian Celts who replaced the earlier hunter-gatherers.

Scots = Celts[1] (speaking two different dialects: First "P" - Brythonic Celtic (spoken by the Picts) and later the "Q" (Iberian) Celtic
imported to Scotland by conquering Irish tribes (Later, the eastern islands off the coast of Scotland were settled by Vikings)

English DNA = Celts (who spoke the "P" dialect of Gaelic/Celtic
Germans (Friesens, Saxons, Angles, Jutes, Danes)
Scandanavian (Norwegians, Vikings)

Welsh DNA = Celts who spoke the "P" (Brythonic) dialect of Gaelic

1.) Scotland is composed of two groups of Celts.
who spoke the "P" dialect (Brythonic) dialect -- The Picts The dialect originated in pre-Roman Gaul/France.
who spoke the "Q" dialect, from Irish Celts coming across the Irish Sea to Scotland.
"Q" Celtic originates in the northern portion of the Iberian peninsula.

[hanshartfiel]

Very interesting but the pronunciation of Gotha is wrong. . The '"o" should be pronounced like in dog, bog or fog and NOT like in Uber

[murmursmeglos]

I think George III started the Britishness, he spoke English first and never visited Hanover. Others have fought for Britain, while Victoria wrote in English in her personal diary all her life.
I think as long as you speak the language and have good intentions for Britain, it doesn't really matter where you come from. Monarchies have been marrying across regions and countries for 1000's of years. Where did this idea that you can only be one ethnicity come from? Doesn't everyone have a mix. Is it because the British royal family rose to such prominence while so many others were slaughtered and removed from their position. Technically it's whatever they want to class themselves as, if you live in Britain and speak the language then you are British, simple as.

[michaelhowell]

If people from India and Africa can be called British or English then surely the Royal Family can be.

[NoStoryNoWorry]

I can appreciate the subtext. My lineage traces back to Russia, Korea, and the Middle East but am in every way American because my family settled here after WW2 and ultimately here I am 🫡

[Tee]

Yeah, Princess Diana was the first English woman to marry into the German family. That was what was shocking, and not the age difference. The Royal family was 100% German, despite the 1917 adoption of the Windsor name.

[lopezjuanjl]

From my point of view we are from the place where we spend more time, and we should always keep that in mind but we can't forget where we come from either, balance is key in life

[ragnarl]

Is the narrator the actor from kingsman, movies