Meghan Markle has shut down one of the biggest rumors about her marriage to Prince Harry. In a new interview, the Duchess of Sussex shot down lingering speculation once and for all, stating, “That’s the truth.”
Meghan appeared on the August 26 episode of the Bloomberg Original show The Circuit. The interview was timed to coincide with the release of the second season of her Netflix lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan.
Journalist Emily Chung asked the royal about a lingering rumor surrounding her royal marriage. “Give me a tutorial on royal naming conventions. So are you, Meghan Sussex? Are you Meghan, Duchess of Sussex? Is Markle even on your passport anymore?”
The former Suits star answered, “Well, 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.”
Why Royal Surnames Are Complicated
“It’s a dukedom,” she clarified. “So, that’s the truth of it. But at the end of the day, you know, yes. My legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but Sussex for us works as our family name, and it’s the name that we share with our children.”
According to the royal family’s official website, its members may be identified by either the name of their royal house or by a surname. For many years, Queen Elizabeth’s children used Windsor as their last name. However, to distinguish their descendants from the royal family without altering the royal house name, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor was adopted.
When Harry and his brother, Prince William, were younger, their last name was Wales, as their parents, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, were the Prince and Princess of Wales. This is the same name used today by William and Kate Middleton and their three children when the couple took on the roles after Elizabeth’s death.
Harry and Meghan were named The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their wedding day. Therefore, their last name is Sussex.
When did Harry and Meghan meet?
Per Elle, Meghan and Harry first met in 2016. On the couple’s third date, Meghan revealed that Harry said “I love you” first, reported the BBC.
The milestone moment occurred when the couple went camping in Botswana, a trip the couple discussed in the Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. Later, in their engagement interview, Harry shared, “We were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to get to know each other.”
They married two years later, in 2018, making Meghan the Duchess of Sussex. The couple shares two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.