Meghan Markle Corrects Mindy Kaling On Proper Way To Address Her: 'You Know I'm Sussex Now'

Meghan Markle's new Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," has finally been released after being postponed due to the Los Angeles wildfires.

The royal talks about her upbringing as a "latchkey kid" who often enjoyed fast food in the series, as she aims to showcase a different side of herself.

In one of the episodes, Meghan Markle emphasized the significance of sharing the "Sussex" surname with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

In the second episode of her Netflix series, Meghan was joined by actress Mindy Kaling, 45, as they discussed childhood memories while preparing cucumber sandwiches for a children's party.

Meghan shared that she was a "latchkey kid" who frequently enjoyed fast food and TV dinners, mentioning chains like El Pollo Loco, Taco Bell, and Jack in the Box.

Kaling expressed surprise, saying, "I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box and loves it."

Meghan, smiling, then gently corrected her: "It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle; you know I'm Sussex now."

The Duchess elaborated on the significance of sharing the Sussex surname with her children, stating, "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."

In response, Kaling said, "Well, now I know, and I love it."

In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex upon Prince Harry and Meghan following their wedding.

In keeping with royal tradition, members of the Royal Family typically use their titles instead of surnames, which is why Meghan is formally known as Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.

Following Elizabeth's passing, their children, Archie and Lilibet, were granted the titles of Prince and Princess.

However, five years ago, after having visited Sussex only once, the couple decided to step away from royal duties and relocate to California. Now, embracing a life outside royal duties, Meghan has confirmed that their family has adopted "Sussex" as their surname.

Reflecting on this decision in a recent interview with People Magazine, Meghan shared the deep personal significance the name holds for their family.

"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.

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

She also mentioned that the "Sussex" name is integral to her and Prince Harry's "love story."

Meghan's newly launched eight-part Netflix series has reportedly allowed her to "find herself" once again, and despite boasting a social media following of over two million, the mom of two emphasized that she identifies more as a "female founder" and "entrepreneur" rather than an influencer.

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

Filmed inside an $8 million estate just a short distance from the Sussexes' Montecito home, the series aims to showcase a different side of Meghan.

However, royal insiders suggest this project could be a crucial attempt to revive her and Harry's $100 million streaming deal with Netflix.

This deal has seen one major success but struggled to maintain momentum. Their biographical documentary, "Harry & Meghan," was a global hit, achieving Netflix's biggest documentary debut with nearly 29 million households tuning in within the first four days.

However, subsequent projects, "Polo," a sports series, "Live to Lead," highlighting global justice activists, and "Heart of Invictus," focused on Harry's competition for wounded veterans, failed to generate significant viewership.

In her interview, Meghan also acknowledged making "mistakes" during the launch of her lifestyle brand, "As Ever."

"I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out, and also to be forgiving with myself through that," she said. "It's a learning curve."

Named initially American Riviera Orchard, the brand underwent a renaming to As Ever last month after facing trademark complications that delayed its rollout.

"There are tons of twists and turns — even with the name," Meghan admitted. "I was figuring it out in real time."

During the interview, she also opened up about a personal touch she added to the brand's website: a photo of her and her daughter, Princess Lilibet, 3, on the landing page.

"Being able to have my own little girl, as I've spent so much of my life championing the rights of girls and women, and to be able to see this as a multi-generational story," she reflected. "Archie is of course included in that, my husband is of course included in that — but I love the heritage feeling of it and knowing this is something that I can create in front of my daughter and teach her what it's like to be a working mom."

She added, "This is something that hopefully can be part of her legacy too."