The fate of royal titles – and the power to revoke them – has become a pressing issue within palace walls of late.
And some 8,700 kilometres away in sunny California, the topic may also be giving Meghan and Prince Harry pause for thought.
This week’s royal headlines were dominated by the bombshell announcement that Prince Andrew will no longer use his Duke of York title or any associated honours.
Following his 2022 retreat from public life amid the fallout from his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew now faces a fresh blow: the complete withdrawal of his formal titles.
A statement from Prince Andrew confirmed the decision was reached in consultation with his brother King Charles and the broader Royal Family.
The historic move underscores the Royal Family’s readiness to safeguard its reputation by stripping titles when necessary. It also brought to mind a recent report by Tom Sykes, the well-connected royal correspondent for The Daily Beast, who believes that Prince William, when he becomes king, will formally revoke Meghan and Harry’s dukedoms.
To be clear, the Sussexes’ conduct since stepping back from their royal roles bears no comparison to the gravity of the allegations against Andrew. Not even close.
Yet this week’s developments reveal a modernised Royal Family unwilling to sidestep controversy – and prepared to act decisively when titles become untenable.
The so-called ‘Fab Four’ were last seen together in September 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Since then, speculation has swirled around Prince William’s intentions regarding his brother and sister-in-law’s titles
Recent reports indicate that William had a firm hand in the removal of Andrew’s titles.
Inevitably, the unfolding drama has reignited long-standing whispers about the future king’s intentions for Harry and Meghan’s titles.
Such talk has simmered for years, with royal insiders and commentators hinting it’s only a matter of time once William takes the crown.
But perhaps a subtle clue was overlooked: the Sussexes may have already laid the groundwork for this eventuality – with a strategy to preserve their brand, even if their titles are no more.
Let’s revisit a viral moment from season one of Netflix’s With Love, Meghan.
One of the show’s standout scenes – now widely shared online – appears in episode two, where Meghan is joined by celebrity guest Mindy Kaling.
While cooking together in a Montecito kitchen, a particular exchange caught viewers’ attention.
It began with Mindy joking about Meghan’s teenage fondness for a popular American fast-food chain.
Meghan corrected Mindy Kaling, telling her that her last name is ‘Sussex’, not Markle
When Meghan appeared on the Drew Barrymore Show, she was introduced as Meghan Sussex
‘I don’t think anyone knows Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box – and loves it,’ Mindy quipped.
But rather than letting the joke land, Meghan interjected with a correction.
‘It’s so funny too, that you keep saying “Meghan Markle” – you know I’m Sussex now,’ Meghan said.
‘When you have kids and you go, “No, I share my name with my children.” And that feels so… 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.”‘
Yes, our first instinct may have been to cringe at the terse dressing-down.
But in doing so, did we overlook a telling clue about the Sussexes’ long-term strategy to safeguard their royal brand?
Shortly after, in March, Meghan doubled down on her assertion that ‘Sussex’ is a shared name for her family – not merely a royal title – in an interview with People magazine.
She explained that using ‘Sussex’ as a ‘shared name’ bonds her, Prince Harry, and their children Archie and Lilibet as a family.
In March, Meghan reiterated that Sussex is a shared name for her family, not just a royal title, in an interview with People. The Sussexes are pictured at Disneyland in September 2025
‘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,’ she said.
‘I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.’
Later, on The Drew Barrymore Show, the host introduced her as ‘Meghan Sussex’.
And during a Bloomberg interview, journalist Emily Chung attempted to clarify the name on Meghan’s passport: had she legally adopted ‘Meghan Sussex’?
Meghan deftly sidestepped the question, only to return to the same theme of identity.
‘It’s a dukedom,’ she told the host. ‘So, that’s the truth of it. But at the end of the day, you know, yes. My legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but Sussex for us works as our family name and it’s the name that we share with our children.’
Could the strategy be to pivot from ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’ to simply ‘Meghan Sussex’? To me, the signs point to yes.
Meghan and Harry recently attended the Project Healthy Minds 3rd Annual Gala in New York City in October 2025, where they were honoured with the ‘Humanitarians of the Year Award’
As Meghan and Harry continue forging their path in the US, their connection to the core Royal Family grows increasingly tenuous.
A time may come when King Charles – or more likely his successor – finds cause to formally revoke their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In anticipation of such a shift, have the couple – Meghan in particular – made the strategic move to adopt ‘Sussex’ as a de facto family surname?
If so, it’s a shrewd piece of forward planning.
Repurposing a royal title as a family name ensures the regal association endures – even if the formal honours are one day withdrawn.
Days after attending the NYC awards show, Meghan appeared in Washington DC, as a speaker at the 2025 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit
To our knowledge, nothing prevents the former senior working royal from legally adopting ‘Meghan Sussex’ as her name in California.
Their days as part of the ‘Fab Four’ may be behind them, but what has consistently underpinned their ventures in America – especially the lucrative ones – is that prized, intangible link to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex title.
If my suspicions are correct, Meghan has quietly executed a masterstroke here.
By transforming a royal designation that can be taken away into a family identity for her and Harry, she is securing her own dynasty.
It means that whatever Prince William’s future plans, there will always be a Sussex stronghold in California. Bravo, Meghan.