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The highly anticipated cooking show of Meghan Markle, With Love, Meghan has officially premiered on Netflix, offering viewers a glimpse into her Montecito kitchen. While the array of high-end cookware valued at $20,000 has garnered attention, it is Meghan’s surname that has left audiences puzzled.
The Duchess of Sussex and Her Royal Title
Meghan Markle, widely recognized for her role in Suits, married Prince Harry in 2018, earning the title of The Duchess of Sussex. Despite this, confusion persists around the couple’s family name, especially since their children, Archie and Lilibet, bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. This name traces back to a 1960 ruling by Queen Elizabeth II, combining the House of Windsor with the name of her husband, Prince Philip, who adopted Mountbatten after relinquishing his titles as Prince of Greece and Denmark.
Following Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties in 2020 and their relocation to the United States, there has been ongoing speculation about whether they still use their royal titles and what surnames they now carry.
Meghan Markle Clears the Air
In the latest episode of With Love, Meghan, the Duchess addresses the topic directly while cooking alongside her friend and actor, Mindy Kaling. When Kaling refers to her as Markle, Meghan offers a candid response.
“It’s so funny too that you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I’m Sussex now,” she says.
She goes on to explain the significance of the surname for her family.
“I share my name with my children, and that feels… I didn’t know how meaningful that would be to me, but it just means so much to go, ‘this is our family name.'”
The Sussex Family Name of Meghan Markle Explained
Under royal protocol, descendants of Queen Elizabeth II are given the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. However, when King Charles ascended the throne in 2022, Meghan and Harry’s children became entitled to the titles of Prince and Princess. As a result, Archie and Lilibet’s surnames changed to Sussex, aligning with their parents’ titles.
The practice of adopting titles as surnames is not new among the British royal family. Prince William and Prince Harry were known as Wales during their youth, reflecting their father’s title, the Prince of Wales. Similarly, William and Kate’s children have been referred to as Cambridge, in line with their parents’ former titles before becoming the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Public Reaction
Despite the historical precedent, some viewers have expressed confusion on social media.
“Isn’t the royal family’s last name Windsor?” one commenter questioned.
Another added, “Isn’t she the Duchess OF Sussex… but that’s not actually her last name, it’s her title?”
Others were quick to defend the Duchess.
“People just love to hate Meghan. William and Kate and their kids went by the Cambridges, and growing up William and Harry went by Wales. This is normal,” one user remarked.
