Meghan Markle Corrects Mindy Kaling: “I’m Sussex Now”
Meghan Markle is embracing the meaning behind her family’s name.
In a recent episode of her new Netflix show With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex teamed up with her friend Mindy Kaling to organize a fun-filled kids’ garden party. As they planned activities together, the two shared laughs, childhood memories, and even a lighthearted moment about Meghan’s last name.
When Mindy casually referred to her as “Meghan Markle,” Meghan corrected her. “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now,” she said.
“You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children.’ 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,” she said further.
Later, in an interview with PEOPLE, Meghan opened up further about why the Sussex name holds a special place in her heart. “I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H, and I all have together,” she shared. “It means a lot to me.”
Explaining that it’s part of her and Prince Harry’s love story, she added that as her kids grow, they’ll likely ask how their parents met. “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.”
The Sussex title was given to Meghan and Prince Harry by Queen Elizabeth when they married in Ma y 2018. Their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, use Sussex as their surname, following royal family traditions. Just like Harry was once known as “Harry Wales” after his father’s title, the Sussex name now ties their family together.
Meghan and Mindy also reminisced about their childhoods, bonding over their shared experiences of being “latchkey kids.” Meghan recalled watching Jeopardy! and eating fast food like Taco Bell and Jack in the Box. Mindy was surprised, joking, “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box!”
The two moms also chatted about the joys and challenges of parenting. Meghan reflected on how much she loves being present for her kids. “It’s a real delight to be a present parent. It’s a luxury because we all have to work,” she said.
Mindy also shared a fun memory from when she was just two months postpartum and Meghan invited her to be on her podcast Archetypes. “And when you hang out with Meghan, you know the food is going to be good,” she said. She happily accepted Meghan’s invitation to visit her Montecito home. “And I was like, ‘I’ll come to Montecito and have you cook for me and go to your garden.’ And that’s what we did.”
