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Meghan Markle has sparked a fresh wave of headlines with a simple correction: she says her last name is no longer “Markle.” In casual settings and on camera, the Duchess of Sussex has been using “Sussex” as her family name—matching Prince Harry and their children, Archie and Lilibet—and the choice has reopened the familiar argument about royal titles, surnames, and what’s tradition versus what’s branding.
The moment that set off the latest round of debate happened on Meghan’s new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. While speaking with Mindy Kaling, Kaling referred to her as “Meghan Markle.” Meghan smiled, but she didn’t let it slide. She pointed out, lightly but clearly, that she goes by “Sussex” now. The reason she gave was personal rather than political: motherhood changed the meaning of names for her. She described it as a quiet milestone—sharing the same name with her children—and said she hadn’t understood how much it would matter until she had them.
The timing is part of why the change has landed so loudly. Meghan’s Netflix series is a lifestyle project—home, food, hosting, and the softer side of public image—and people are already scrutinizing it for what it “means” about her next phase. When she adds a name shift on top of a new show, it becomes instant fuel: some see it as a natural evolution, others see it as a calculated rebrand, and plenty of observers land somewhere in the middle.
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