We’ve been told endlessly in the past three years that Prince William constantly fantasizes about his first days as (Scooter) King and how he’ll set about punishing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Day 1. If you ask me, that’s the only thing getting William through the day at this point: daydreaming about all of the ways in which he’ll finally lord over Harry and Meghan, how he’ll take away their titles, how he’ll ban his niece and nephew from his kingdom. At this point, I want Scooter King to take away the Sussex titles on Day 1. I think that will set the tone for his reign of terror, and it will also show the world that Harry, Meghan and their children are completely fine living a title-free life in California. What I cannot stand is this increasingly hysterical commentary about Meghan’s use of her married name (her title) as a slap in the face of the entire royal establishment. An excerpt from Sharon Hunt’s Mail column: “Meghan must suspect her days as a duchess are numbered. The signs are hiding in plain sight. I’ve never been more certain of what she could be planning next…”
Tom Sykes, who also pens The Royalist Substack, theorised that Meghan’s persistent use of the Duchess title makes perfect sense as a savvy branding move – especially with the possibility that one day the title could disappear altogether. ‘Meghan Markle’s frantic insistence on the title of Duchess is an attempt to imprint her family’s royal connections on the public before their inevitable removal,’ Sykes wrote.
It’s a theory I raised last month after the bombshell removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s royal titles – including his Duke of York title and associated honours – amid ongoing scrutiny of his ties to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
It’s now clear the Royal Family won’t hesitate to revoke titles when they deem it necessary – a reality that must weigh on the California-based couple’s minds.
With that in mind, the strategy seems simple: roll out ‘Duchess’ as often as possible and keep the Sussex name front and centre – just in case.
Recent moments underscore this approach. On Netflix’s With Love, Meghan, Mindy Kaling introduced her as ‘Meghan Markle’, prompting the Duchess to gently correct her and steer the focus back to her royal branding. ‘It’s so funny too, that you keep saying “Meghan Markle” – you know I’m Sussex now,’ Meghan said in an exchange that appeared to leave Mindy looking rather confused.
Another instance of ‘Sussex’ being used as a de facto last name for Meghan – a part of her personal brand rather than simply a title conferred by the British Royal Family – appeared in her interview with People in March. She explained to her preferred American magazine how the ‘shared name’ bonds her and Harry with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
‘It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children,’ Meghan said. ‘I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.’
She did not elaborate on whether she had legally changed her last name to Sussex – a move entirely within her rights under California law.
As I previously noted, the shift from ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’ to simply ‘Meghan Sussex’ cleverly protects her royal link – even if the title is ever officially revoked.
Returning to Harper’s Bazaar, her cover story offers fresh clues into the evolving playbook of Brand Sussex. It was striking how the article adhered to classic celebrity-profile formulas: part of the interview unfolds in a busy Hollywood hotspot, complete with the obligatory lunch at a trendy restaurant. I mention this not to suggest that a duchess eating fries is somehow groundbreaking, but to highlight how Greenidge’s feature – in subtle but unmistakable ways – seemed to position her subject as a celebrity first and royal second.
Enough!! “But what if she uses Sussex as a surname, what will do then, how will we threaten her, she’s still trading off her royal connection!?!?” Something else every one of these commentators fails to acknowledge is that Meghan is probably completely done with her maiden name, especially after what her father and her half-sister have done to her. She doesn’t want to be a Markle anymore, and I don’t blame her. In retrospect, the Sussexes really should have adopted the Spencer surname back in 2023 though. That would have changed the nature of this ridiculous campaign.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid. Cover courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar.
