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Meghan Markle has responded to critics questioning why she still uses the surname Sussex, despite no longer being a working Royal.
The Suits actress's full legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but she's explained it's not as straight-forward as it seems.
Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, but they left the UK after officially stepping back from Royal duties back in 2020. Th'e Duchess also referred to her 'Sussex moniker in the first season of her Netflix show, when friend Mindy Kaling teased her over a fast food choice and called her 'Meghan Markle'.
The mother-of-two responded: "It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I'm Sussex now," she confirmed.
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"You have kids and you go 'No, I share my name with my children'. 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.'"
And now, a recent interview tries to get to the bottom of it following her revelation, but it's still left people scratching their heads.
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Meghan acknowledged it's a weird one, telling Bloomerg's Emily Chang: "It's a complicated one for people to understand because a last name is not typical in that construct.”
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She explained: “When I got married I changed my name," and added that Sussex can be used 'loosely' as a last name.
Meghan attempted to clarify: “It’s a dukedom. That’s the truth of it. My legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Since we've been married that's what I've been called."
She added: "Sussex for us works as our family name, and it's the name that we share with our children.”
Meghan continued: “I get it because I'm American. I went there and I started to understand, then you come back and as an American, you go, ‘I'm so confused.’”
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She insisted she hasn't changed since being part of the Royal Family, and that Meghan is still, well, Meghan.
“What I learned about myself is no matter what my name is or what people call me, I'm still the same person,” she insisted.
“That didn't change who I am. And maybe that's probably the biggest distinguishing factor.”
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In the past, she did reveal that she had felt 'inauthentic', and referred to a fashion choice she had to stick to.
"It was different several years ago when I couldn't be as vocal and I had to wear nude pantyhose (tights) all the time. Let's be honest, that was not very myself", the mother of two said.
"I hadn't seen pantyhose since movies in the 80s when they came in the little egg. That felt a little bit inauthentic. And that's a silly example."
Meghan added she is in a different 'chapter' of her life now: "But it is an example of when you're able to dress the way you want to dress and you are able to say the things you want to say that are true and be able to show up in a space that is really organically and authentically, that's being comfortable in your own skin.
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"Of course, I have had different chapters in my life. But right now I don't feel I need to prove anything."
Topics: Meghan Markle, Netflix, Prince Harry, Royal Family
Jen Thomas