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For the past five years, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry worked to carve out an identity separate from the Royal Family. Since stepping back from their roles as senior royals in 2020, they have emphasized how their independence from the royal fold was important to them. From their bombshell Oprah interview and Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan to Harry’s memoir Spare, the couple has repeatedly made it a point to distance themselves from the monarchy.
However, with the premiere of her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan fast approaching, Markle seems to be leaning back into her royal connections to further build hype and ensure viewership. In a new interview, the 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex proudly embraces the royal title she and her husband once seemed to downplay.
“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. I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.” Markle told People magazine ahead of the March 4 debut of her new lifestyle series. The Duchess even went as far as saying that the Sussex title “is part of our love story.”
A MASTER CLASS on dealing with H8TERS! Meghan has pressed on, unbothered, unshaken, unstirred by the Royals, Brit Media/ social media Karens. THIS is how you do it. SUSSEX (success) gets the best revenge. #MeghanMarkle #WithLoveMeghan #PrinceHarry @KensingtonRoyal #KateMiddleton pic.twitter.com/z2U5Zk1H4J
— LuxeBox (@Luxe_Boxx) March 3, 2025
Even on her new show, Markle openly recognizes her royal title. According to The Sun, she corrects her pal, actress Mindy Kaling, in the second episode after the comedian says, “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box.” The royal mom of two reportedly responds, “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now.”
It’s a stark contrast to the narrative the couple has pushed since leaving the U.K. They have long been accused of cashing in on their royal status while simultaneously criticizing the institution. Now, with a fresh rebrand and a high-profile Netflix show, Markle appears willing to embrace the title that has given her global recognition.
The timing of Markle’s change in tune is raising eyebrows, however. Her latest venture, an eight-part cooking and lifestyle series, is a key part of her and Prince Harry’s renewed efforts to establish themselves in the entertainment and business world. But with a string of failed projects, such as their multimillion-dollar Spotify deal falling apart and Markle’s “40×40” initiative quietly fizzling out, some royal experts believe the former actress’s re-emphasis on her royal ties is no coincidence.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle split from Spotify after doing just one podcast under $20M deal https://t.co/O3rWjsEoey pic.twitter.com/tKSSYEmF8Z
— New York Post (@nypost) June 16, 2023
“It’s ironic, now that Meghan Markle is launching her Netflix show and ‘As Ever’ brand, that all of a sudden she’s happy to call herself the Duchess of Sussex — a place she has spent only a matter of hours rather than days. Without the Sussex title and kudos of being a royal, she’s just another minor celebrity chef or entrepreneur selling her wares,” royal author Phil Dampier said, per The Sun.
Prince Harry and Markle were granted the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex by the late Queen Elizabeth II after their royal wedding in 2018. But since they stepped down and made countless headlines against the monarchy, there have been increasing calls to strip them of these honors. As such, the Duchess’s sudden change of heart regarding her royal ties suggests she must have realized just how much that title still matters.