The Duchess of Sussex has opened up about life as a Royal – and what’s changed since
Meghan Markle sat down with Emily Chang for an episode of The Circle (Image: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Meghan Markle has opened up about Royal life while simultaneously confirming what her legal name actually is in a bombshell interview.
The Duchess of Sussex recently appeared on the YouTube series The Circle with Emily Chang to discuss her life and business.
Meghan and Emily sit down for a chat in a local restaurant where they enjoy burgers and drink beer. It was one part of the interview which caught the interest of some viewers when Emily asked the Duchess about trying to be relatable while in her role.
The former Suits star said she just tries to be herself these days, but she admitted she didn’t always act this way.
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She revealed: “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.
“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.
“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.
“Of course, I have had different chapters in my life. But right now I don’t feel I need to prove anything.”
Meanwhile, in another part of the chat, Emily asks Meghan about her name. Meghan caused a stir earlier this year on the first series of her show when she corrected Mindy Kaling, who called her Meghan Markle, clarifying that she is Meghan Sussex now.
She added: “Well, when I got married, I changed my name. But it is a complicated one for people to understand because a last name is not typical in that construct.”
Emily then pressed if Sussex really was her last name. And Meghan explained: “It’s not, but it’s used loosely or roughly rather.
“It sounds so silly to say and I get it cos I’m American and then I went there and I started to understand, then you come back and as an American, you go ‘I’m so confused’.
“It’s a dukedom – and that’s the truth of it. But at the end of the day, yes, my legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but Sussex works for us as our family name and it is the name we share with our children.
“But yes, since we’ve been married that’s what I’ve been called.”
In the wide ranging interview, Meghan also brushed off criticism of her show and the label of being a ‘trad wife’.
She said: “Really? That feels odd to me. I hadn’t heard that, but I am really unapologetic about the fact that… would it be lovely to go and churn your own butter?
“Sure, maybe, but I don’t have time for that. And I don’t think you get an extra gold star if you do that.
“So for me, it’s more about how you show up thoughtfully. I don’t have time to make dinner every night, I wish I did, but I’m great at ordering takeout and plating it beautifully.
“I have absolutely no judgement on trad wives, if it works for them then they should do it. But for me I feel like there is an in between, and joy for me comes from finding that sweet spot in the middle.”
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Meanwhile, she’s also asked her views on US president Donald Trump. In 2016, Meghan called him “divisive and misogynistic” and said: “You don’t really want that kind of world.”
Earlier this year Trump called her ‘terrible’ following a war of words centred on Harry’s US visa application. But despite being asked about him, she refused to be drawn into criticising the president.
Emily asked her: “You had some choice words for President Trump [during The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore in 2016]. Are there things you’re dying to say or do right now but you feel like you can’t?”
But Meghan replied: “No, I just make a choice of what matters to me and what’s important to me. And that was a different time in 2016 certainly.
“I think if there’s anything I wanted to say or that felt necessary to say, then I would say it, but that’s not where I’m at right now. I haven’t said anything [political] since 2016, which was well before I met my husband too.”