This was a top royal story at the Daily Mail last weekend: “I think I’ve discovered Meghan’s secret plan for if – or when – William strips away the Sussexes’ royal titles.” Columnist Sharon Hunt is on the case! So what is the Duchess of Sussex’s “secret plan” for when Scooter King William throws a hissy fit about the Sussex ducal title? Well, as Hunt brilliantly deduces given the wealth of personal statements made by Meghan just this year, Meghan plans to continue to use “Sussex” as a surname. Gasp, horror, brand new information!
The historic move [to remove Prince Andrew’s titles] underscores the Royal Family’s readiness to safeguard its reputation by stripping titles when necessary. It also brought to mind a recent report by Tom Sykes, the well-connected royal correspondent for The Daily Beast, who believes that Prince William, when he becomes king, will formally revoke Meghan and Harry’s dukedoms. To be clear, the Sussexes’ conduct since stepping back from their royal roles bears no comparison to the gravity of the allegations against Andrew. Not even close.
Yet this week’s developments reveal a modernised Royal Family unwilling to sidestep controversy – and prepared to act decisively when titles become untenable. Recent reports indicate that William had a firm hand in the removal of Andrew’s titles. Inevitably, the unfolding drama has reignited long-standing whispers about the future king’s intentions for Harry and Meghan’s titles. Such talk has simmered for years, with royal insiders and commentators hinting it’s only a matter of time once William takes the crown.
But perhaps a subtle clue was overlooked: the Sussexes may have already laid the groundwork for this eventuality – with a strategy to preserve their brand, even if their titles are no more. Let’s revisit a viral moment from season one of Netflix’s With Love, Meghan. One of the show’s standout scenes – now widely shared online – appears in episode two, where Meghan is joined by celebrity guest Mindy Kaling. While cooking together in a Montecito kitchen, a particular exchange caught viewers’ attention. It began with Mindy joking about Meghan’s teenage fondness for a popular American fast-food chain.
‘I don’t think anyone knows Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box – and loves it,’ Mindy quipped. But rather than letting the joke land, Meghan interjected with a correction.
‘It’s so funny too, that you keep saying “Meghan Markle” – you know I’m Sussex now,’ Meghan said. ‘When you have kids and you go, “No, I share my name with my children.” And that feels so… I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, “This is our family name, our little family name.”‘
Yes, our first instinct may have been to cringe at the terse dressing-down. But in doing so, did we overlook a telling clue about the Sussexes’ long-term strategy to safeguard their royal brand?
As Meghan and Harry continue forging their path in the US, their connection to the core Royal Family grows increasingly tenuous. A time may come when King Charles – or more likely his successor – finds cause to formally revoke their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In anticipation of such a shift, have the couple – Meghan in particular – made the strategic move to adopt ‘Sussex’ as a de facto family surname? If so, it’s a shrewd piece of forward planning. Repurposing a royal title as a family name ensures the regal association endures – even if the formal honours are one day withdrawn.
To our knowledge, nothing prevents the former senior working royal from legally adopting ‘Meghan Sussex’ as her name in California. Their days as part of the ‘Fab Four’ may be behind them, but what has consistently underpinned their ventures in America – especially the lucrative ones – is that prized, intangible link to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex title. If my suspicions are correct, Meghan has quietly executed a masterstroke here. By transforming a royal designation that can be taken away into a family identity for her and Harry, she is securing her own dynasty. It means that whatever Prince William’s future plans, there will always be a Sussex stronghold in California. Bravo, Meghan.
Months later, it’s still so telling that they refer to that With Love, Meghan scene as a “dressing down” or something about how Meghan was “frosty” or “furious.” Meghan stated a preference without even having to say “please don’t refer to me by my maiden name.” The commentary on that moment was fascinating, because it became a window into what it was like for Meghan in that dreadful place, with people accusing her of bullying for simply correcting someone or stating a preference. Anyway, yeah, breaking news, they use Sussex as a surname. They’ve used Sussex as their surname since 2023, when Charles dithered about their titles. It’s not some kind of PR masterstroke, it’s simply Meghan and Harry wanting a family name for themselves and their children, and for that name to reflect their marriage. It’s not a coincidence that all of this talk about title-stripping would effectively stop Meghan from using her married name, her title.
Photos courtesy of Meghan’s Instagram and Beyonce’s site.
