The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 10: August 2024 -

[FigTree]

Diana, Princess of Wales, was still being called 'Lady Di' for years and years after her marriage.

Well that was her name? Sh3bhad a married name sure but that is the one that stuck. These things really aren't that deep.

 

[Hallo girl]

It maybe sums up the relevance of the programme that all we are discussing and hotly discussing, at that, is the name Sussex.

 

[Mbruno]

We just don’t have any titles in the US so it sounds pretentious to my ears for an American living in the US to call oneself the “Duchess” of anything. For a US citizen living overseas in countries where titles are used, that’s totally different and it makes perfect sense for Meghan to be called the Duchess of Sussex or even Meghan Sussex there. If they were just visiting, it would be different but they’ve stated they plan to live here in the US.
Harry was born with a title and has always been known as Prince Harry and I’m assuming he’s still a British citizen. While their children legally have those titles and they are meaningful in the UK, I cannot imagine them wanting to use them among friends - kids want to be like their peers, not stand out due to a title that’s not recognized in the US. We have no formal aristocracy - princes and princesses exist only in Disney movies and fairy tales.

You make excellent points.

I am pretty sure they will not insist that the kids be called Prince or Princess when they are at school in the US. Not even Harry (or William) was called that, I think, when they were in school in the UK,

Incorporating Sussex as their family name, as in Archie or Lilibet Sussex, may well be the easiest solution for the children. In fact, someone in the United States who knew nothing about the family or who they are could easily mistake Sussex for an ordinary last name .

The problem is that, as Somebody said, Meghan was still Rachel Meghan Markle on LIlibet's US birth certificate and Lilibet's surname was still Mountbatten-Windsor as was Archie's on his UK birth certificate. So all 3 are effectively changing their names now, based on a British rule that doesn't apply in the US.

Harry of course is in a different class. He only became the Duke of Sussex when he married, which was not so long ago, but he never had a family name and he was always Prince Harry in the public media, or Harry Wales in school and in the Army. It is really hard for him, as seen on his children's birth certificates, even more so on Lilibet's, which was issued in the US, to fit into the normal document format of Given Name(s) and Last Name (Surname). He could have taken up the last name Mountbatten-Windsor, which even Princess Anne used for example for her marriage certificate and is the family name the descendants in male line of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, except married female descendants, are instructed to use "when they need it", but he didn't do that.

 

[shady lady]

It maybe sums up the relevance of the programme that all we are discussing and hotly discussing, at that, is the name Sussex.

Yes.

And it's worth remembering that when HLMTQ gifted the Sussex title to H&M it was with the expectation (or at least hope) that they would serve the UK and our people long term as a part of the BRF. Which didn't really happen.

She can call herself Krusty The Clown if she wants to, but for me she'll always be Meghan Markle, former working royal by marriage. It's very simple to me

 

[Kronprinz]

I found the name correction strange. It sounded rather patronising towards her “friend”. Mindy looked rather taken aback by the comment by M. The fact that they kept it in the show and didn’t edit it out makes me think that M wants to prove a point about it. Possibly a reminder of the royal connection given that they can’t use duke/duchess of Sussex for business ventures?

Yes, it sounded too much like "Let me remind you who you're talking to".

I'm actually surprised they didn't edit it out. Mindy's answer "Now I know it and I love it" is quite something.

 

[Kronprinz]

Will there be any semi-royal tours from them this year? I'm actually surprised she didn't insist the release date of the show to align with a major royal event, in order to steal the limelight.

 

[chen bao jun]

I understand a wife and mother wanting to have her husband's surname. Harry's surname is a complicated issue due to his having left the royal family and because he's still royal, saying she's using his name sounds like snobbery but I'd give her the benefit of doubt on this one.
I'm not a Meghan fan and think poorly of her (and Harry) not for leaving the family, but for the hurtful and baseless accusations afterwards etc etc. But I think people can grow and change and she's not continuing on that path by having this show. I sincerely hope it finds an audience and that she finds her niche in the world (hopefully no more obnoxious politically contentious podcasts that make her seem strident and uninformed). What's interesting to me in all this is how plus ça change plus c'est la même chose. The Duchess of Windsor spent most of her married life entertaining and decorating and doing table settings in a very similar way and I think she wrote at least one book about her tips on how to do it instead of having a TV show. Hardly seems like it's worth having given up the platform of the royal family for but if she and Harry find peace this way it all won't be a total waste.
I am getting the impression that she's trying very hard to be a good mother as she understands it (Catherine is so much more fortunate in her family background than Meghan and the 2 royal brothers). Mothering does mellow one. If she and Harry can raise the two children protected and stable in at atmosphere of peace and calm, that will be something.

The Duchess Of Windsor’s Tongue-In-Cheek Guide To Entertaining

“Planning a party can be more fun than the party itself. And one rule is born into my brain: Don’t worry. It never happens.”

www.vogue.co.uk

 

[Ghost]

Harry’s surname is Mountbatten Windsor, nothing complicated.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Harry’s surname is Mountbatten Windsor, nothing complicated.

In fairness to the numerous people here and elsewhere who assume it is complicated, most hail from the United States or another country where surname customs are extremely simple. Most Americans, for example, have a single, one-word surname which is used regardless of context. For example, prior to marriage, Meghan Markle would have used "Markle" and only "Markle" as her surname everywhere: on legal documents, on bank accounts, on her resume, on her social media, while being introduced by a mutual friend at a party, etc.

The longstanding custom that British princes/princesses and British peers/peeresses usually are referred to without a surname (for example, as "HRH The Prince of Wales" or "His Royal Highness The Prince William Arthur Philip Louis The Prince of Wales") but in certain informal settings use the territorial designation from their title as an unofficial surname ("William Wales") and in certain legal papers use their legal surname ("William Arthur Philip Louis Mountbatten-Windsor") - and that none of this involves any changes to names or titles, but is merely a tradition of using different forms of identification in different contexts - is more complicated than the average person from many countries is accustomed to.

 

[AsEver]

"With Love, Meghan" is getting a second season coming this fall!

Meghan Markle's Netflix Series With Love, Meghan Returning for Second Season This Fall (Exclusive)

Meghan Markle's lifestyle show 'With Love, Meghan' is getting a second season on Netflix. All about the Duchess of Sussex's series and what's to come.

people.com

 

[soapstar]

Another article about the renewal.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show ‘With Love, Meghan’ renewed for Season 2 — and filming already wrapped

More love, more Meghan.

nypost.com

It wrapped production in January and will be airing in the Fall.

It’s too bad they already filmed it, since I think the show needed some tweaking and could have benefited from some of the constructive criticism it received.

 

[HRHHermione]

Netflix renewed Meghan’s show for season 2. It wrapped production in January and will be airing in the Fall.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show ‘With Love, Meghan’ renewed for Season 2 — and filming already wrapped

More love, more Meghan.

nypost.com

It’s too bad they already filmed it, since I think the show needed some tweaking and could have benefited from some of the constructive criticism it received.

Agreed, I don’t really understand the strategy of two seasons on an unproven concept when there are often huge gaps in Netflix seasons even for incredibly popular and well-reviewed shows.

 

[Hallo girl]

"With Love, Meghan" is getting a second season coming this fall!

Meghan Markle's Netflix Series With Love, Meghan Returning for Second Season This Fall (Exclusive)

Meghan Markle's lifestyle show 'With Love, Meghan' is getting a second season on Netflix. All about the Duchess of Sussex's series and what's to come.

people.com

Thanks for the warning .

 

[AsEver]

Another article about the renewal.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show ‘With Love, Meghan’ renewed for Season 2 — and filming already wrapped

More love, more Meghan.

nypost.com

It wrapped production in January and will be airing in the Fall.

It’s too bad they already filmed it, since I think the show needed some tweaking and could have benefited from some of the constructive criticism it received.

I'm sure they can incorporate some constructive criticism in the production.

 

[TLLK]

Another article about the renewal.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix cooking show ‘With Love, Meghan’ renewed for Season 2 — and filming already wrapped

More love, more Meghan.

nypost.com

It wrapped production in January and will be airing in the Fall.

It’s too bad they already filmed it, since I think the show needed some tweaking and could have benefited from some of the constructive criticism it received.

Perhaps there will be some post production editing involved to address some of the points offered by constructive criticism.

 

[soapstar]

A lot of the criticism was about how Meghan came off and her interactions with her guests, so that’s really not something you can fix in post-production. Nor can you really fix the format of the show. Those are all things you address before you film another season.

Agreed, I don’t really understand the strategy of two seasons on an unproven concept when there are often huge gaps in Netflix seasons even for incredibly popular and well-reviewed shows.

Yeah, it doesn’t really make sense. I’ve seen Netflix shows debut at number 1 and stay in the top 10 for weeks, yet not get renewed.

But I guess since Netflix paid them a lot of money, they’re invested in making the show work.

 

[MajorCats]

After reading all the reviews about the show I was expecting a terrible show. BUT after watching three
episodes I really liked them. It was entertaining, fun, and I actually LEARNED something (which I did not
expect to do) Glad that the show was renewed for a second season.

 

[AsEver]

After reading all the reviews about the show I was expecting a terrible show. BUT after watching three
episodes I really liked them. It was entertaining, fun, and I actually LEARNED something (which I did not
expect to do) Glad that the show was renewed for a second season.

Also FWIW Ive seen just as much praise for the show (from real people) as I have criticism from the press/media/other real people. It's not for everyone (no show is) but it clearly is for many many people -- including me!

 

[Kenya]

Agreed, I don’t really understand the strategy of two seasons on an unproven concept when there are often huge gaps in Netflix seasons even for incredibly popular and well-reviewed shows.

I’m not surprised for a number of reasons. First, since Netflix has partnered with As Ever to sell products—none of which were ready and on the market at the time Season 1 premiered—they still need an opportunity to promote the products on the show

Also, Netflix has paid her and Harry an exorbitant amount of money with only one bona fide hit to this point. It’s smart of them to make her do additional work under that contract before its expiration.

I agree, though, that it’s a shame production began and filming wrapped before they could course correct the problems media critics had with Season 1. But it seems the biggest problem critics had was the lack of relatability and Meghan’s perceived lack of authenticity, and without a personality transplant, I don’t think those things would be fixable, even if they started filming months from now.

 

[Emmily]

I agree with the speculation that whole stilted conversation was left in as a warning shot to the RF not to strip them of their royal titles. By saying "its our family" Meghan is trying to make it even harder for the RF to strip them of the title (which I actually don't think the RF would ever try to do)

Why would that make it harder?

 

[Mbruno]

"With Love, Meghan" is getting a second season coming this fall!

Meghan Markle's Netflix Series With Love, Meghan Returning for Second Season This Fall (Exclusive)

Meghan Markle's lifestyle show 'With Love, Meghan' is getting a second season on Netflix. All about the Duchess of Sussex's series and what's to come.

people.com

Probably already greenlit before Season 1 aired.

 

[Ghost]

Why would that make it harder?

To not appear as retaliating.

 

[Mbruno]

Also FWIW Ive seen just as much praise for the show (from real people) as I have criticism from the press/media/other real people. It's not for everyone (no show is) but it clearly is for many many people -- including me!

The audience ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes say otherwise.

 

[Kenya]

Probably already greenlit before Season 1 aired.

It was already done filming before Season 1 aired! So it’s great that Meghan got a second season, but it obviously wasn’t a decision based on the outstanding success or performance of Season 1. I doubt she cares about that, though.

 

[Hallo girl]

Why would that make it harder?

If Meghan has the RF in her sights in case they try and remove the titles she obviously has concerns. I have never seen anything on record that the King intends doing that.

 

[Healthy Sceptic]

The audience ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes say otherwise.

Wow, do they ever! IMDB gives it a 2.7/10 with 61% rating it at 1-2 as opposed to 32% at 10. Rotten Tomatoes says it is 72% rotten.

Agreed that Netflix is just trying to recoup money at this point. The personality transplant comment had me rolling.

 

[taogg]

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is a feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity.

This is a description from Meghan's official website. I thought feminists no longer take their husband's surname, whether it's Sussex or Mountbatten-Windsor

 

[AsEver]

Wow, do they ever! IMDB gives it a 2.7/10 with 61% rating it at 1-2 as opposed to 32% at 10. Rotten Tomatoes says it is 72% rotten.

Agreed that Netflix is just trying to recoup money at this point. The personality transplant comment had me rolling.

You can find similar to movies that have been very successful and that many people enjoy.

 

[Healthy Sceptic]

You can find similar to movies that have been very successful and that many people enjoy.

I guess it depends on your definition of "many". Seems like it's going over like a lead balloon to me.

 

[chen bao jun]

Meghan SAYS she's a feminist, loudly and all the time. A lot of her behavior has never matched up with feminism of any kind though. She tends to take traditional routes for women to get ahead such as using her looks to be a girl on the Price is Right and then claiming feminism because she says (after profiting) that she was exploited, thus upsetting people on both sides of the aisle .

I'm not a feminist at all (anymore) but a lot of my friends are and I don't see a definite correlation between feminist beliefs and taking husbands last name. Some of the fiercest feminists I know took the traditional route here (as Hillary Clinton did). I was always a bit wishy washy, I did (and do) believe in equal pay for equal work but that's about it--and I hyphenated for a long time. It really depends. I like listening to people to hear their reasoning.
The rubber seems to hit the road a lot when it comes to the kids. I know a lot of women, including feminists who feel like Meghan does, that they want their whole family to share a name. I know feminists who hate their ex husband and keep his name because they want to have the same name as their children. It resonates I think with many women when Meghan talks about her 'little family ' and wanting to protect her children and keep the family close. Though I think one can make the case that she set up a lot of the situation that makes her feel embattled and protective, I don't think she necessarily realizes that. And one can understand why she'd feel embattled.
I won't be watching her show -I didn't even watch Martha Stewart though I love to cook, make jam, embroider, house keep but I'm glad it will have a second season and I do hope it does well. That would be the best thing for her, Harry the kids -- and the royal family, for her to have some success and attention for something other than taking wardrobe changing tours, putting uninteresting opinions out there and whinging.