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On her new show, 'With Love, Meghan' the duchess speaks about her surname now being Sussex. Picture: Supplied
According to a royal insider, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, appears to have sent the royal family a “warning shot” regarding her Sussex title.
In the second episode of her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, the duchess told American actress Mindy Kaling that her surname was Sussex.
During a discussion about fast food favourites as kids, Kaling said, “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box”. This appeared to have annoyed the duchess, who promptly corrected Kaling, saying, “It’s so funny you say that because I’m not Meghan Markle anymore, I’m Meghan Sussex. Sussex is my name.”
Markle then explained to Kaling, whom she reportedly only met once before, how significant the title is to her. “I didn’t know how meaningful it would be, but it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name. Our little family name’.”
Kaling responded awkwardly: “Well, now I know, and I love it.”
The show, which premiered on Tuesday, showcases Markle, 43, delving into cooking, crafting, and lifestyle segments. She invites audiences into her Montecito home, sharing personal recipes, DIY projects, and conversations with celebrity guests.
Royal insider Richard Eden told the Mail Online that “it was hard to keep my eyes open as I snoozed my way through the Duchess of Sussex’s latest Netflix bore-fest, yet there was one moment that jolted me wide awake. Meghan’s emphasis on the Sussex title was clearly a warning shot.”
Eden suggested she was making a very public point about how much the title meant to her and, by implication, to Prince Harry.
Royal commentators believe she might have signalled her intention to maintain her duchess status despite stepping back from official duties. However, experts believe King Charles is unlikely to strip the couple of their titles, hoping for eventual reconciliation.
Prince Harry’s legal name is Henry Charles Albert David, and he didn’t have a last name on his birth certificate. His official title was His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales, as his father was the Prince of Wales.
Often, royals do not use surnames, though some members of the British royal family use Mountbatten-Windsor as a last name when needed.
The royal family has used the last name Windsor since 1917. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip decided that their direct descendants who did not have HRH (his or her royal highness) titles or have the title of prince or princess would use Mountbatten-Windsor, incorporating Philip’s last name, according to the royal family’s website.
Harry never used Mountbatten-Windsor because he always had an HRH title. Instead, as did Prince William, Business Insider reported, he went by Harry Wales when he needed a last name, such as when he was in school and the army.
Although he agreed not to use it for official business in 2020, Harry did not formally give up his HRH title when he stepped back as a senior royal, and never adopted Mountbatten-Windsor.
Archie and Lilibet’s birth certificates listed Mountbatten-Windsor as their last name, as they did not have the titles of prince and princess at the time of their births. However, after Queen Elizabeth II died and King Charles III took the throne in September 2022, Archie and Lili moved to sixth and seventh in line for the throne. They became Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Since Archie and Lili hold prince and princess titles, continuing with Mountbatten-Windsor would break royal tradition. The shift to Sussex isn’t new, it simply follows long-standing customs.
However, it’s unclear if Harry and Meghan have legally changed their last name to Sussex.
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