Sussex residents have expressed outrage at Meghan Markle’s insistence that “Sussex” is her surname despite only visiting the county for six hours. They have demanded that the duchess contribute more to the local community to be worthy of her title.
In the second episode of her Netflix cooking show “With Love, Meghan,” actress Meghan Markle corrected Mindy Kaling, saying, “It’s funny that you keep calling me Meghan Markle. You know my last name is Sussex now.” The incident caused controversy, especially among Sussex residents, who felt she needed to prove she was worthy of the title by becoming more involved in local activities.
Many Sussex residents expressed disappointment when Meghan Markle announced “Sussex” as her surname. Jeff Hall (56, Lewes) told the Mail: “I’m sure the Sussex title is a valuable thing and after she marries into the Royal Family she can use it. However, if she is going to use it I would like to see her in the county a bit more. One visit in eight years is not enough.”
His brother Colin, who runs Hall’s Fruits, agreed: “If she wants to take the title she should have more connections with the place. She should be involved in a children’s charity or doing something good for the county.” Eleanor Feltham (Sussex) described the situation as “quite absurd” and asked: “She has never even spent a night in Sussex. Surely she can’t be serious?”
On her Netflix show, Meghan further explained the meaning of the name Sussex: “I didn’t know what it would mean to me, but it means a lot to say, ‘This is our family name. Our little family name.'” Kaling responded: “Well, now I know, and I love it.” Meghan previously told People magazine that the name Sussex “is part of our love story” and something she shares with “Archie, Lili, H and I.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex made a brief visit to Sussex in October 2018. They visited Brighton, Chichester, Peacehaven and Bognor but have not returned since. Bryan Jenkins, 72, told the Mail: “She can call herself whatever she wants but she seems to think she has a strong connection to Sussex, which is absurd.”
A source close to the royal family told the Mail that Meghan’s emphasis on the title was “clearly a warning” to the royal family. The source said she was publicly demonstrating how important the title was to her and Prince Harry. Stripping them of their titles could be used as a punishment if the Sussexes continue to publish books or give revealing interviews about the royal family.
