Meghan Markle has sparked plenty of conversation by choosing to use the title “Sussex” as her last name. This preference came to light during a lighthearted but revealing exchange with writer and comedian Mindy Kaling. While the two were preparing snacks for a children’s party, Meghan gently corrected Kaling for referring to her as Meghan Markle, saying, “You know I’m Sussex now.” This statement, paired with her insistence on using Sussex as a family name, has reignited discussions about royal protocol and her connection to the title. The duchess explained that sharing a family name with her children made the title feel deeply personal — a symbol of their unity and identity as a family.
Despite the emotional significance she attaches to the Sussex name, the decision has raised eyebrows among royal watchers. Meghan and Prince Harry were granted the titles Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they married in 2018. However, their actual connection to the English county of Sussex has been minimal — their only official visit there lasted a mere six hours during a brief tour. This limited association has led some royal fans to question the appropriateness of using the Sussex title as a surname, suggesting instead that their official family name should be “Mountbatten-Windsor,” a name tied to the royal lineage since 1960.
The real names of the couple also add another layer of intrigue. Meghan was born Rachel Meghan Markle in Los Angeles in 1981, though she has always preferred using her middle name professionally. Coincidentally, her character in the TV show Suits was also named Rachel — a detail that has often sparked curiosity. Prince Harry’s birth name, on the other hand, is Henry Charles Albert David. Throughout his life, he’s been informally known as Harry, though his official documents still list him as Henry. During his military service, he was even referred to as Captain Harry Wales, reflecting his father Prince Charles’s title as the Prince of Wales at the time.
Even their children’s surnames reflect the complexity of royal naming traditions. Archie and Lilibet’s birth certificates list their last name as “Mountbatten-Windsor,” a combination chosen by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1960 to distinguish their direct descendants from the broader Windsor family. Despite this official designation, members of the royal family often use their titles as informal surnames — a tradition that Prince William has also followed with his children being referred to as George Wales, Charlotte Wales, and Louis Wales in their school records.
For Meghan, the decision to adopt Sussex as a surname is about more than tradition — it’s about creating a shared identity with her husband and children. She has spoken openly about the emotional weight the name carries, symbolizing their unity as a family. “This is our family name, our little family name,” she explained. Still, the use of a courtesy title as a last name remains a topic of debate. While it aligns with royal practices, many fans and commentators continue to question whether it’s an appropriate departure from their official Mountbatten-Windsor lineage.