Meghan reveals why she and Prince Harry won't give up their royal titles

The Duchess of Sussex has revealed why she and Prince Harry have chosen to keep their titles, five years after leaving the royal family and moving to the United States.

It was the late Queen Elizabeth II who bestowed the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Prince Harry and Meghan on their wedding day.

Meghan said the Sussex name "is part of our love story".

READ MORE: Everything we know about With Love, Meghan

Speaking to People ahead of the premiere of her new cooking and lifestyle program on Netflix, Meghan sat down with the magazine for a chat billed as her 'most intimate in years'.

Since she and Prince Harry stepped back as senior working royals in the United Kingdom to pursue a life of financial independence in America, they've faced backlash for keeping their royal titles and using them in their business endeavours.

But Meghan said the Sussex title has taken on a bigger meaning now she and Harry have become parents to Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

"It's our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn't recognised how meaningful that would be to me until we had children," the duchess said.

"I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me."

READ MORE: Rare glimpse of Meghan's daughter in seconds-long footage

In the wake of their royal exit in 2020, and subsequent interviews where both Harry and Meghan have criticised the monarchy – including the duke's memoir Spare – there have been calls for the couple to be stripped of their titles or for them to voluntarily renounced them.

A YouGov survey conducted in December 2022 found that nearly half of the British public thought Harry should have his title removed.

During his promotional tour for the launch of Spare, Harry was asked about the issue by Anderson Cooper on America's 60 Minutes program.

"[Critics] say the duke and duchess are cashing in on their royal titles while they still can," Cooper said. "Why not renounce your titles as duke and duchess?"

Harry replied: "And what difference would that make?"

Elsewhere in Meghan's People interview, the duchess spoke about being a "working mum", revealing Archie recently told her "Mama, don't work too hard".

READ MORE: Charles 'besotted' with the royal family's newest addition

Of her return to Instagram years after shutting down her popular lifestyle website The Tig when she and Harry announced their engagement, the duchess said she was not an influencer.

"I see myself as an entrepreneur and a female founder and if the brand ends up influential, then that's great," she said.

The duke makes just one appearance in the eight-part Netflix series With Love, Meghan which airs on Tuesday evening in Australia.

He was a frequent visitor on set, she said.

View gallery

Meghan's life on Instagram: all her best posts so far

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

Responding to questions on why the series was not filmed in the Sussex's Montecito mansion (an estate nearby was chosen instead) Meghan said she wanted to protect the "safe haven" of the family home.

"We're a close-knit family, and I love those moments – putting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, having sacred time together at the end of the day," she said.

"Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family, and with a crew of 80-plus people, that's a lot of people to have in your house."

With Love, Meghan will be followed by the launch of Meghan's lifestyle brand As Ever as well as her new podcast series on Lemonada Media.

Nine Entertainment Co (the publisher of this website) owns and operates the streaming service Stan.