The Duchess of Sussex recently revealed to PEOPLE the deeper significance of the ‘Sussex’ name
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Meghan Markle is keeping it simple with her introduction on her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
The first episode, released by Lemonada Media on April 8, features the Duchess of Sussex, 43, introducing herself as simply “Meghan.” This straightforward approach is echoed in the episode’s end credits, where a voice announces: “Confessions of a Female Founder is a production of Lemonada Media, created and hosted by Meghan.” A promotional photo for the podcast also features the title followed by “with Meghan.”
Prince Harry and Meghan received the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex from Queen Elizabeth on their May 2018 wedding day. Although the couple’s two children — son Prince Archie, 5, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 3 — were born with the royal family’s surname of Mountbatten-Windsor, they use “Sussex” as their last name.
Meghan referenced her “Sussex” family name in an episode of her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, which premiered last month. Chatting with friend Mindy Kaling about their childhoods, The Office actress said, “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box.”
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Meghan replied, “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now.”
“You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children,’ ” the Duchess of Sussex added. “I didn’t know how meaningful that would be to me, but it just means so much to go, this is our family name, our little family name.”
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Meghan opened up further about the importance of having a “family” name.
“It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized 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.”
Describing the Sussex name as “part of our love story,” she added, “I think as the kids get older, they’re so excited about, ‘Oh my gosh, Mama and Papa, how did you meet?’ I think that will come with time as they get older, but for right now a huge part of our love story is that we share the name Sussex.”
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Last month, Drew Barrymore introduced the Duchess as “Meghan Sussex” ahead of a segment on the actress’s talk show, and Meghan used the initials “MS” for her recently launched ShopMy page.
