Meghan Markle or Meghan Sussex? Unpacking Her Name Change and How Royal Last Names Actually Work

Mar. 15, 2025

With Love, Meghan. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex in episode 108 of With Love, Meghan.Photo:Jake Rosenberg/Netflix

Jake Rosenberg/Netflix

Meghan Markle’s recent revelations about her “Sussex” family name has sparked curiosity, but it also raises questions about how royal surnames work — and why they’re not as straightforward as you might think.

Despite stepping back from their royal roles in 2020, they’ve retained their titles, which are reflected on the royal family’s website, in the credits of Meghan’s new Netflix seriesWith Love, Meghanand across the branding of her lifestyle venture,As ever.

Speaking to PEOPLE in this week’sexclusive cover story, Meghan described “Sussex” as the “shared name” she has with Prince Harry and their children,Prince Archie, 5, andPrincess Lilibet, 3.

“It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” the Duchess of Sussex tells PEOPLE. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.”

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex photographed in Montecito, California, in March 2024 (left) and November 2024 (right).Jake Rosenberg/Courtesy Netflix

Jake Rosenberg/Courtesy Netflix

Does that mean Meghan will be known as Meghan Sussex going forward?

When the Duchess of Sussex joinedDrew Barrymoreto discuss her new projects in an episode ofThe Drew Barrymore Showthat aired on March 6, the host addressed her guest as “Meghan Sussex.”

“This is the Fast Five with Meghan Sussex,” Barrymore said to introduce the segment.

When did Archie and Lilibet adopt Sussex as their last name?

Just as Prince Harry used his father’s title as a last name growing up in school, Archie and Lilibet now do the same.

The siblings were originally named “Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor” and “Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor” on their birth certificates, using the royal family’s official surname. As explained on theroyal family’s official website: In 1917, George V adopted Windsor as the royal surname. In 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip added Mountbatten-Windsor for their descendants. While royal children usually don’t need a surname, they use Mountbatten-Windsor when required.

However, whenKing Charlesascended to the throne in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet wereafforded the titles of prince and princess. Soon after, the children’s nameswere updatedon the royal family’s website to “Prince Archie of Sussex” and “Princess Lilibet of Sussex” in the officialline of succession.

Archie and Lili’s first cousinsPrince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6, are officially listed with a similar styling of “Prince George of Wales,” “Princess Charlotte of Wales” and “Prince Louis of Wales” as a reflection of their fatherPrince William’s Prince of Wales current title.

Prince Harry, Princess Lilibet, Meghan Markle and Prince Archie in their 2024 holiday card.Archewell

Archewell

Prior to William’s accession to the Prince of Wales title, the children used “Cambridge” as their last name in school, as William’s previous title was Duke of Cambridge.

Using royal titles as family surnames is a longstanding tradition. Instead of using titles like Mountbatten-Windsor, royal children typically adopt their parents' titles as their surname. For example, Prince Harry and Prince William were known as “Harry Wales” and “William Wales” during their school years and time in the military.

Similarly, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s children also use “Wales” as their surname at school. Meanwhile, their elder cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, used “York” as their last name, a nod to their father Prince Andrew’s title as Duke of York.

The topic also came up inWith Love, Meghan,where the Duchess of Sussexcorrected her friendMindy Kalingwhen she called her Meghan Markle.

As seen in the second episode of the lifestyle show, Meghan and Kaling prepared for a garden party and talked about foods they ate when they were kids.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Mindy Kaling in episode 102 of With Love, Meghan.Justin Coit/Netflix

Justin Coit/Netflix

“People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box,” Kaling said after her friend made the revelation.

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“It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now,” Meghan said.

“You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children,' " she emphasized. “I didn’t know how meaningful that would be to me, but it just means so much to go, this is our family name, our little family name.”

Kaling nodded and replied, “Now I know, and I love it.”

Speaking with PEOPLE, Meghan shares that the Sussex name “is part of our love story” that she will tell Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet about one day.

“I think as the kids get older, they’re so excited about, ‘Oh my gosh, Mama and Papa, how did you meet?’ I think that will come with time as they get older, but for right now a huge part of our love story is that we share the name Sussex,” Meghan tells PEOPLE.

source: people.com