Meghan Markle Might Have a Brand New Name if King Charles Chooses to Make One Royal Move

If King Charles strips Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal titles, the former actress will no longer be able to use 'Sussex' as her last name and perhaps won't even use her maiden name 'Markle'. Instead, she might have an entirely new name, which would mark a major shift in her royal identity. For several years, insiders have speculated that Charles might remove the couple's Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles, which they received as gifts from Queen Elizabeth II during their wedding in 2018. However, despite the rumors, royal expert Ingrid Seward believes that it's unlikely that Charles will take any such step now.

As reported by The Mirror, Seward said, "I don’t think anything will happen to the titles because, if they lose their titles, Harry is still a Prince of the blood and Meghan, instead of being the Duchess of Sussex, [would] be Princess Henry. That really would [confuse the Americans]. I think [it’s] probably best just to leave it because it looks unkind, it looks unnecessary." Harry's birth name was Prince Henry Charles Albert David. So, if Markle were to lose her title as The Duchess of Sussex, she would likely be referred to as Princess Henry, following royal tradition, where a princess adopts her husband's name as part of her official title, as reported by the New York Post.

Seward added, "The Queen gave them the titles, let them keep them. They’re going to be ‘H and M’ anyway. I think the best thing is to leave them, ignore them, and let them get on with it, which is really what the Palace and the royal family are doing." Another royal expert, Tom Quinn, previously shared that Charles and Prince William have had extensive talks about removing Harry and Markle's royal titles. However, they are hesitant to take such a step, fearing it could escalate things and invite further scrutiny, causing more harm than good.

Reports have also revealed that the late Queen once asked Harry to use his lesser title, the Earl of Dumbarton, which could also make Markle a Countess if they were to lose their royal titles, just like Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, as reported by Cosmopolitan. Harry and Markle have already lost their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles when they stepped down as working royals.

For now, Harry and Markle have chosen 'Sussex' as the surname for their children rather than Mountbatten-Windsor, as reported by Marca. This decision came to light after the couple rebranded their website, which now includes their royal titles. Although they faced some backlash for keeping their royal titles even after stepping down from their official roles, a source close to Markle and Harry defended their decision. The person said, "Prince Harry and Meghan are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. That is a fact. It is their surname and family name."