Meghan Markle Becomes Meghan Sussex: A Small Change, a Larger Conversation
At first, it sounded like a casual correction. During a light moment on a talk show, a friend used her familiar name, and she gently adjusted it. But that brief exchange quickly rippled outward, igniting discussion across social media and royal-watching circles.
Meghan Markle is no longer publicly using “Markle.” She now goes by Meghan Sussex, aligning her name with her husband, Prince Harry, and their children, Archie and Lilibet.
The moment surfaced during her Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, which has drawn attention not only for its content but for reopening conversations about identity, titles, and personal reinvention. In one episode, Meghan gently corrected her friend Mindy Kaling after being addressed by her maiden name.
“It’s so funny you keep saying Markle,” Meghan said. “You know it’s Sussex now. When you have kids, you start to feel how meaningful it is to share a name. This is our family name now. Our little family.”
She later expanded on the sentiment in an interview with People, explaining that she hadn’t anticipated how emotionally significant a shared surname would feel until she became a mother.
Formally, Meghan and Harry were granted the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth II upon their marriage in 2018. Their children are styled Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Meghan’s choice to use “Sussex” as a surname in informal and media settings marks a subtle shift from how she’s been publicly known for decades.
“I love that it’s something Archie, Lili, H, and I all share,” she said. “It feels deeply meaningful to me. It’s part of our love story.”
The change became especially visible when The Drew Barrymore Show introduced her as “Meghan Sussex” during a March appearance.
Why It’s Raising Eyebrows
Not everyone has welcomed the change. Critics argue that “Sussex” is a title, not a legal surname, noting that the traditional family name for descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip is Mountbatten-Windsor. Online, some questioned whether the correction was appropriate or accurate.
Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle, also voiced disappointment, framing the decision as a rejection of the Markle family name—an extension of the long-running estrangement between them.
Is It Against Royal Tradition?
Etiquette experts say it isn’t. According to Debrett’s and longstanding royal practice, members of the royal family may use their titles as surnames in certain contexts. Prince Harry himself previously used “Wales” while serving in the military, derived from his father’s title at the time. Now, as Duke of Sussex, “Sussex” functions similarly for the family in informal usage, even if legal documents may reflect something different.
The Bigger Picture
What appears to be a minor naming choice opens onto broader themes: identity after marriage, motherhood, reinvention, and the tension between tradition and self-definition. For Meghan, adopting “Sussex” seems less about rejecting the past than about affirming a present shaped by family unity.
For critics, it raises questions about authenticity and royal convention. Either way, the reaction underscores how even small personal decisions can become cultural flashpoints when made under the glare of public attention. In choosing Meghan Sussex, she adds another chapter to an ongoing conversation about what it means to belong—both within a family and under a global spotlight.
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