The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan Markle, have surprised the world with a new decision that affects their children, Archie and Lilibet.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been making adjustments and even changes for several days since the launch of their new official website called Sussex.com, a name that has not been without controversy for a possible violation of the agreement they made with the Crown when they relinquished their royal duties in 2020.
Under that pact, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could not use their peerage for commercial purposes.
In addition, the Sussexes’ website has sparked controversy for displaying the coat of arms granted to them by Queen Elizabeth II in 2018, which some experts say they can only use in the United Kingdom, not the United States, where they currently reside.
Archie and Lilibet’s new last name
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided to change their children’s surnames to Sussex after relaunching their website with the same name.
According to the Daily Star, the little ones, who previously bore the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, inherited from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, have been renamed Archie Sussex and Lilibet Sussex.
The name change coincides with the launch of the Sussexes’ digital platform, which is intended to be a new window into their professional, philanthropic and personal projects.
On it, Harry and Meghan present themselves as “humanitarians, military veterans, mental health advocates and activists for various causes,” alluding to their publishing and audiovisual successes.
In fact, it was recently announced that Meghan’s podcast, known as “Archetypes,” will be available on Lemonada Media’s platform, though it’s unknown when. This comes after Spotify canceled the deal the royals had in 2023, after just 12 episodes.
Why are the surnames changing?
The use of the title of Sussex as a surname and as a brand has not been without controversy, as it involves following a royal tradition.
According to People magazine, the use of royal titles as surnames is a common practice within the British royal family.
For example, the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton are officially named George, Charlotte and Louis of Wales.
Prince William and Prince Harry did the same when they served in the armed forces, where they were called William Wales and Harry Wales, respectively.
However, they are an active part of the monarchy, unlike Harry, Meghan and the children, so the change will undoubtedly provoke much criticism.
With this move, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex seem to want to reinforce their identity as an independent family and away from the British monarchy, with which they have had several clashes since their departure.
