Additional Coverage:
- Meghan Markle wants people to know her name is actually ‘Meghan Sussex.’ Here’s how surnames work in the royal family. (businessinsider.com)
Meghan Markle? Make that Meghan Sussex!
The Duchess revealed on her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” that she shares the surname Sussex with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. While chatting with Mindy Kaling, Meghan described Sussex as their “family name,” a sentiment echoed by Drew Barrymore when introducing Meghan on “The Drew Barrymore Show.”
But how did we get here? A quick dive into royal naming conventions explains it all.
Traditionally, royals often don’t use surnames. While some use Mountbatten-Windsor, Prince Harry, born Henry Charles Albert David, never did.
He used “Wales” as his surname during his time in school and the army, reflecting his father’s title as the Prince of Wales.
Archie and Lilibet initially had Mountbatten-Windsor on their birth certificates as they weren’t born with prince and princess titles. However, following the Queen’s passing and King Charles’s ascension, they became Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex, aligning with royal tradition.
This shift prompted the family to adopt Sussex, in keeping with the custom of using territorial designations as surnames. Prince William and Kate Middleton follow the same practice, using “Wales” for their children.
Whether the Sussexes have legally changed their surname remains unconfirmed, but for now, it seems Sussex is the name of the game.