Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s surname drama explained and how royal family would take 'action'
Meghan has claimed her surname is Sussex
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were given their Sussex title after they tied the knot in 2018, but she has recently sparked debate over whether it’s their surname.
Meghan, 43, explained in her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, that she was no longer “Markle” and instead used the surname “Sussex”.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s surname drama explained
Prince Harry, 40, and Meghan famously stepped away from the royal fold in 2020, but have kept their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The couple have previously used the Sussex title for a wide range of projects, including Prince Harry’s autobiography Spare as well as Meghan’s recent Netflix series.
In the second episode of the new series, Meghan corrected friend Mindy Kaling who referred to her as “Meghan Markle”.
It’s so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m ‘Sussex’ now.
The duchess said: “It’s so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m ‘Sussex’ now,” before going on to explain its significance.
She added: “I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name. Our little family name.'”
Meghan also previously told People magazine that it became more significant after becoming a mother. She stated: “It’s our shared name as a family. And I guess I hadn’t recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children.”
Will Harry and Meghan lose their Sussex titles?
Since Meghan’s claims, debates have been sparked over whether Harry and Meghan should be stripped of their titles.
Many fans assumed Mountbatten-Windsor is their actual surname. The surname is also on their children Archie and Lilibet’s birth certificates.
Now with Meghan seemingly suggesting she uses Sussex as a surname, there’s speculation over the use of the title.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams reflected on the possibility of the pair losing their titles to The Express.
He explained: “The only way the title could be removed would be by an Act of Parliament, which is highly improbable.
“In that unlikely case, Harry would still be a prince as he was born one.”
He went on to say: “Meghan has made abundantly clear how fond she is of her title recently. She is intent on maximising something which she knows has value.”
When the couple wed in 2018, Queen Elizabeth II gave them the titles of HRH Harry, the Duke of Sussex and HRH Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.
In Scotland, the pair became the Earl and Countess of Dumbarton. Elsewhere, in Northern Ireland, they are formally known as the Baron and Baroness of Kilkeel.
Harry and Meghan’s surname explained
When they moved to the US, they retained all of the above titles. However, they were stripped of the right to style themselves as HRH – His or Her Royal Highness.
This designation is what separates the royal family from other senior members of the British peerage, like the Duke and Duchess of Westminster.
In theory, Meghan’s last name might be Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor. However, she has never publicly identified herself as such.
Her son, Prince Archie of Sussex was christened Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, while her daughter, Princess Lilibet of Sussex, was christened Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
Despite this, many royal family members have used their title as their surname. For example, when Prince Harry served in the army he used Wales as his surname, to reflect that he was the son of the then Prince of Wales.
Also, just as Archie and Lilibet go by Sussex, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis go by Wales in many situations, now Prince William is the Prince of Wales.
So, will Harry and Meghan keep their titles?
So, what do you think? Do you agree? Should Harry and Meghan use Sussex as a surname? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial and let us know.
