Meghan Markle surname explained: Why her last name is 'Sussex'
4 March 2025, 11:58
What is Meghan Markle's surname? The royal-turned-Netflix star explains why she has changed her last name to Sussex.
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Meghan Markle famously left her royal lifestyle behind in the UK and has since carved out a career as a lifestyle and homemaking guru.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, whisked her family off to California in 2020 to start afresh as she, Prince Harry and their two children Archie and Lilibet built a new life together in America.
Although the couple officially stepped down as senior royals that year, it seems there's one tradition she has decided to stick with – and it involves her last name.
So what is Meghan Markle's official surname? Here, we explain how the Netflix star likes to be referred to and the reasoning behind it.
Why is Meghan Markle's surname Sussex?
Despite many fans still using her maiden name, Meghan Markle has revealed that she has in fact changed her surname to Sussex.
The former royal explained that she prefers to go by the title gifted to her and Prince Harry by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present in 2018.
Members of the Royal Family traditionally use their titles instead of their surnames, meaning Meghan's official name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
It's the same last name used by her husband and their two children, Archie and Lilibet – and one that Meghan says has meaning to them as a family.
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The revelation came when the royal-turned-TV host was interviewing a celebrity guest for her 2025 lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan.
Actress Mindy Kaling called the Duchess of Sussex by her maiden name in episode two, which promoted Meghan to correct her on the spot.
Clearing up the confusion around her moniker, she said to The Office star: "It’s so funny you keep saying Markle. You know it’s Sussex now."
"You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children," Meghan told Mindy.
"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."
What are Meghan and Prince Harry's children's surnames?
Meghan and Prince Harry's children were born with the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.
Archie and Lilibet officially became a prince and princess when King Charles III took the throne, sparking a name change for the entire family.
The kids have been using the surname Sussex since their royal grandad's coronation back in May 2023, according to reports.
On the Royal Family's website, their official titles are Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.
Speaking to People, Meghan confessed she sees the Sussex name as part of her and Prince Harry's "love story", adding: "I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me."
Prince William and Princess Kate have followed the same conventional naming rule amongst royals, using the surname Cambridge within their family.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all use the surname Cambridge at school, while Harry and William used the surname Wales – the title held by their parents Charles and Diana – when they were at Eton.
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