Meghan Markle, 43, recently spoke about her “Sussex” family name, sparking curiosity and raising questions about how royal surnames work. The Duchess of Sussex revealed that she adopted the surname with Prince Harry and their children, Archie and Lilibet, as a way to share their identity.
The tradition of using royal titles as family surnames is long-standing. When King Charles ascended to the throne in September 2022, Archie and Lilibet’s names were updated to reflect their new title. Now, they use “Prince Archie of Sussex” and “Princess Lilibet of Sussex.” This styling mirrors that of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who use “Prince George of Wales,” “Princess Charlotte of Wales,” and “Prince Louis of Wales,” respectively.
Meghan’s adoption of the surname comes after her children began using it. The tradition is simple: royal children adopt their parents’ titles as their surname. This practice has been followed by generations of royal families, including Prince Harry and Kate Middleton, who use the surname “Wales.”
However, Meghan will likely continue to be referred to as Meghan Markle due to SEO considerations. Despite this, she prefers using the surname Sussex, saying it’s part of her love story with Prince Harry and their children.
The Duchess of Sussex emphasized that sharing a name creates a sense of unity within her family. She believes that when she tells Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet about how they met, one day, the shared name will be an essential part of that story.
Source: https://people.com/meghan-markle-meghan-sussex-how-royal-last-names-actually-work-11692262