Meghan Markle has once again stirred global conversation, this time over her use of a royal title that she and Prince Harry had previously stepped away from.
The latest controversy comes shortly after Meghan shared that she no longer uses her birth surname, “Markle,” and instead has adopted “Sussex” as her family name. In an interview with PEOPLE magazine, she explained that she, Prince Harry, and their children—Archie and Lilibet—have all been using “Sussex” as their last name for some time now.
She explained the significance of this name, which was granted to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II on their wedding day in 2018. “It’s our shared name as a family,” Meghan said. “I didn’t realize how meaningful that would be to me until we had children. I love that Archie, Lili, H, and I all have that in common.”
Just days later, Meghan reiterated this shift during an episode of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, playfully correcting her friend Mindy Kaling, who kept calling her by her maiden name. “It’s funny you keep saying Meghan Markle,” she told Kaling. “I’m Sussex now. When you have kids, it feels really special to share a name with them.”
However, this week, Meghan sparked new confusion after appearing to be referred to by the title “Her Royal Highness” (HRH), a style that she and Prince Harry agreed to stop using after stepping back from official royal duties in 2020.
The situation unfolded when Meghan posted an Instagram image of a letter she received from Ukrainian politician Yulia Svyrydenko, who thanked her for supporting Ukraine during its ongoing conflict with Russia.
In the letter, Svyrydenko addressed Meghan as “Your Royal Highness.”
This raised eyebrows, especially among critics like GB News’ royal correspondent Cameron Walker, who argued that Meghan and Harry had agreed not to use those titles when they resigned from royal roles. “They shouldn’t be using them anymore,” he insisted.
Commentator Lin Mei also criticized Meghan, saying, “She’s always liked the idea of being a princess, but doesn’t want the responsibility or decorum that comes with the role. You can’t have it both ways.”
Despite the criticism, a source told The Daily Beast that how Meghan refers to herself is ultimately up to her.
“Some people warned at the time that not formally removing the HRH title was a mistake,” the insider said. “This post may seem minor, but it brings up a bigger issue—what happens if she decides to start using HRH again? As it stands, she can’t be stopped.”
Technically, Meghan is still an HRH, as the title was never officially revoked—just agreed upon not to be used.
Since they departed from royal duties, Meghan and Harry have made headlines with several controversial revelations, including allegations of mistreatment and bias from both the royal family and the British media.
