Meghan Markle reveals she changed her last name. The Duchess of Sussex announced this in the second episode of her new cooking show, where she tries to avoid controversial topics.
As reported by the Daily Beast, during a conversation with the guest of the new Netflix show, actress Mindy Kaling, known for the series The Office, the 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex made a surprising revelation about changing her last name.
Meghan reminisces about her childhood, mentioning that she was often a kid who ate microwaved meals, including Jack in the Box tacos.
Kaling, surprised, remarks, “I don’t think anyone could imagine Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box.”
At this moment, the cheerful background music, which plays throughout most of the show, abruptly stops, creating a stark contrast in the atmosphere.
A faux-amused Meghan looks at the cucumber she is slicing and says, “It’s funny that you keep calling me Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now” – a touching nod to her royal title.
The Duchess explains the concept of surnames, saying that when you have children, you realize how important it is for them to share a last name with their parents. It’s much more than just a surname.
Kaling, who has three children, responds, “Now I understand, and I like that.”
This tense moment unfolds as they prepare cucumber sandwiches for a children’s party. The cucumber slices are so thick that the late Queen Elizabeth II would likely have been surprised to see them served at Windsor Castle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles were granted to Meghan and Prince Harry by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018 after their wedding.
By emphasizing her commitment to the Sussex name, Meghan seems to signal that she has no intention of giving up the title.
Members of the British Royal Family do not formally have last names, although they are collectively referred to as Mountbatten-Windsors. As a result, they often use their titles as surnames.
For instance, Prince Harry, officially “Prince Henry of Wales,” was known as Harry Wales in school and the military. Similarly, his brother William used Wales as his last name, and their uncle Prince Andrew once signed documents as Andrew Inverness, using one of his titles.
When Prince Harry’s children were born, they did not have the right to Prince and Princess titles and carried the last name Mountbatten-Windsor. However, they are now officially referred to as Prince Archie Sussex and Princess Lilibet Sussex.
Critics of the couple have repeatedly called on King Charles III to strip Meghan and Harry of their titles following a series of high-profile accusations they made against the monarchy during their ongoing family feud.
According to sources, King Charles III even ‘held talks’ about stripping Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of their titles, but decided not to do so.
In her show, Meghan avoids discussing the rift with Harry’s relatives. She mentions friends, referring to them as “uncle” and “aunt,” but never once acknowledges her children’s biological uncle—Prince William—with whom she remains deeply estranged.
Interestingly, Kate Middleton has spent over a decade trying to get everyone to call her Catherine. Will Meghan ‘Sussex’ achieve greater success?
