Duchess addresses family surname while promoting new Netflix season
Meghan Markle has finally set the record straight on her name. Sitting down with Emily Chang for The Circuit to mark the release of season two of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, the Duchess spoke candidly about everything from family life to the ongoing debate over what she should be called.
The question resurfaced after season one, when actress Mindy Kaling casually referred to her as “Markle” on the show. Meghan corrected her at the time, joking that she now goes by “Sussex.” The moment quickly went viral, sparking speculation about her legal name.
Chang decided to get clarity once and for all. “What exactly is your official name, and more importantly, what does it say on your passport?” she asked.
Meghan admitted the royal naming system can be confusing, especially for Americans. “When I got married, I changed my name. But it’s a complicated one for people to understand because a last name is not typical in that construct,” she explained. With a laugh, she added, “I’m still confused by it too—it’s a dukedom.”
Finally, she confirmed: “My legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. But Sussex works as our family name. It’s the name we share with our children, and since we’ve been married, that’s what I’ve been called.”
As for the viral Mindy Kaling moment, Meghan brushed it off with humour, while Kaling herself later admitted she barely remembered it. Appearing on The View, the actress laughed about how TikTok users dissected her reaction: “We were making sandwiches, and then they push in on my face and say, ‘Look at this emotion you felt,’ and honestly, I didn’t even remember it.”
