Meghan Markle made it clear to the world that her last name has changed and she’s a Sussex now.

Why Did Meghan Markle’s Name Change?

Meghan’s last name changed when she married Prince Harry in May 2018. Prince Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth, gave the couple the titles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The couple stepped back from their senior royal duties in January 2020, revealing their plans to “work to become financially independent” prior to their move to Montecito, California, with their kids, where her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, is filmed in a nearby farmhouse.

Meghan Markle Corrected Friend Mindy Kaling Over Name Change

The Office alum appeared on episode 2 of Meghan’s new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, which premiered on March 4, 2025, and referred to the royal as “Meghan Markle” multiple times during the 38-minute segment.

“People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box,” Mindy said before Meghan corrected her on using her current last name.

“It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now,” the former Suits actress clarified, before explaining how “meaningful” the moniker is. “You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children,’ It just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name, our little family name.’”

She echoed that sentiment in an interview with People published one day before the premiere of her Netflix show. “It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,” she told the outlet in an interview published on March 3, 2025. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.”

Meghan and Harry’s children don’t appear in the series but are often mentioned by the Deal or No Deal alum. Harry made a brief appearance in the final episode with Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland.

Meghan and Harry Adopted Sussex Title for Their 2 Children

Meghan and Harry are parents to two children, son Prince Archie and daughter Princess Lilibet.

When their children were born, they were given the last name Mountbatten-Windsor, a last name that dated back to 1960 when the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles decided to give their “untitled” descendants their own last name. Their kids were initially named Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

“It was therefore declared in the Privy Council that The Queen’s descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince/Princess, or female descendants who marry, would carry the name of Mountbatten-Windsor,” per the official Royal Household website.

Megan and Harry decided to use their Sussex title as the surname for their kids instead of Mountbatten-Windsor in an effort to unify their family, according to the Times of London. The British newspaper reported that the children had been using the moniker since King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023.

“The reality behind the new site is very simple — it’s a hub for the work the Sussexes do and it reflects the fact the family have, since the king’s coronation, the same surname for the first time,” a source told Page Six in February 2024. “That’s a big deal for any family. It represents their unification and it’s a proud moment.”