On this day - 8 February
Historical items of interest as featured in the papers of the day.
Queen Elizabeth II changes family name
The Queen made a statement on February 8th 1960 which would alter the names of her future descendants. From this day onward, Mountbatten-Windsor was made the surname for any future descendants of the Queen who did not have the title of Royal Highness, Prince or Princess and therefore required a surname.
When Queen Elizabeth II took the throne, her surname was Mountbatten due to marriage. She changed her surname back to Windsor two months after taking the throne. Windsor was made the family surname in 1917 by King George V when German connections, stemming from from Queen Victoria's consort Albert, were dropped.
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First execution in the USA via lethal gas
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