Meghan Markle's latest Harper's Bazaar interview was full of glossy theatrics, but the fanfare surrounding her royal arrival truly stole the show. In Kaitlyn Greenidge's cover story - complete with a high-fashion spread - we glimpse Meghan's many roles: mother, wife, businesswoman, Hollywood name, and yes, royal. The tone is relentlessly glowing - pure admiration and adoration. Yet beneath the positive spin, two observations stood out - each curious in its own way, both revolving around Meghan's royal title.
The scene was set: Meghan was about to join a circle of tween girls for an educational session at a natural history museum in Los Angeles . Her entrance was pure spectacle. As Greenidge described: 'A golf cart pulls up, gravel crunching under its tyres. "The Duchess of Sussex ," someone announces. Meghan steps out in wide-leg trousers, a silk blouse , and pavé-diamond studs by Ukrainian brand Guzema.' For those unfamiliar with royal protocol, it's standard for an usher to herald a royal's arrival. Even at private or informal events, a staffer will often make a discreet announcement.
But one inevitably wonders: is a school excursion really befitting this kind of pomp? This ceremonial flourish might have gone unnoticed - had it not happened again. A week after the museum outing, Meghan and the journalist reunited at a private home in New York City - incidentally, just days after the royal's surprise appearance at the much-talked-about Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week . Greenidge wrote: 'When I enter, the house manager announces, "Meghan, Duchess of Sussex," even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house.' While strict adherence to such protocol might be expected of a senior royal, it seems curious given Meghan and Prince Harry now live in the U.S. and made it clear in 2020 they no longer wished to be working royals. This detail wasn't lost on royal experts - among them, Tom Sykes.
The Daily Beast correspondent - who firmly believes Prince William could revoke the Sussexes' dukedom when he succeeds his father as king - was scathing in his reaction to the faux formality. 'The world ignored the tedious girl-boss platitudes and instead revelled in her insistence that everyone around her use her full royal title, even in situations where it made no sense,' he wrote in his latest article . Sykes, who also pens The Royalist Substack , theorised that Meghan's persistent use of the Duchess title makes perfect sense as a savvy branding move - especially with the possibility that one day the title could disappear altogether.
'Meghan Markle's frantic insistence on the title of Duchess is an attempt to imprint her family's royal connections on the public before their inevitable removal,' Sykes wrote. It's a theory I raised last month after the bombshell removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's royal titles - including his Duke of York title and associated honours - amid ongoing scrutiny of his ties to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. It's now clear the Royal Family won't hesitate to revoke titles when they deem it necessary - a reality that must weigh on the California-based couple's minds. With that in mind, the strategy seems simple: roll out 'Duchess' as often as possible and keep the Sussex name front and centre - just in case. Recent moments underscore this approach.
On Netflix's With Love, Meghan, Mindy Kaling introduced her as 'Meghan Markle', prompting the Duchess to gently correct her and steer the focus back to her royal branding. 'It's so funny too, that you keep saying "Meghan Markle" - you know I'm Sussex now,' Meghan said in an exchange that appeared to leave Mindy looking rather confused. Another instance of 'Sussex' being used as a de facto last name for Meghan - a part of her personal brand rather than simply a title conferred by the British Royal Family - appeared in her interview with People in March. She explained to her preferred American magazine how the 'shared name' bonds her and Harry with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
'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,' Meghan said. 'I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me.' She did not elaborate on whether she had legally changed her last name to Sussex - a move entirely within her rights under California law. During a subsequent Bloomberg interview, journalist Emily Chung attempted to clarify the name on Meghan's passport: had she adopted 'Meghan Sussex'? Meghan deftly sidestepped the question, circling back to the same theme of identity.
'It's a dukedom,' she said. 'So, that's the truth of it. But at the end of the day, you know, yes. My legal name is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but Sussex for us works as our family name and it's the name that we share with our children.' Even on The Drew Barrymore Show, it was pre-arranged that the celebrity host would introduce her as 'Meghan Sussex'. As I previously noted, the shift from 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex' to simply 'Meghan Sussex' cleverly protects her royal link - even if the title is ever officially revoked. Returning to Harper's Bazaar, her cover story offers fresh clues into the evolving playbook of Brand Sussex.
It was striking how the article adhered to classic celebrity-profile formulas: part of the interview unfolds in a busy Hollywood hotspot, complete with the obligatory lunch at a trendy restaurant. Anyone familiar with these profiles will recognise this well-worn trope instantly. In this case, it was the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, which Greenidge noted was 'calculated', though not necessarily in a negative sense. 'The see-and-be-seen spot for Hollywood dealmaking and politicking, it is a calculated choice as the site for my first interview with Meghan,' she observed. 'We are ushered to a circular table in the corner of the garden, a prime seat where we can see the other diners and they can see the three of us.'
Next came the classic A-list celebrity-profile ritual: ordering a 'cheat meal' to make the subject look more relatable. For Harper's, it was 'burger and fries for the table' alongside Meghan's much more on-brand Polo Power Bowl. When the plates were cleared, Meghan insisted the fries stay and happily nibbled as the interview continued. I mention this not to suggest that a duchess eating fries is somehow groundbreaking, but to highlight how Greenidge's feature - in subtle but unmistakable ways - seemed to position her subject as a celebrity first and royal second. The Hollywood interview checkmarks continued as Meghan bumped into notable figures during lunch.
Over the course of the meal, she chatted with a well-known restaurateur - who catered her husband's birthday - and later excused herself for a private word with a 'famous film titan'. Convenient interruptions with Hollywood powerbrokers are, again, a common theme in these kinds of interviews - whether in Harper's, Vanity Fair, or any number of elite glossies. Here we have all the classic celebrity-profile hallmarks, set against Meghan's titles being solemnly declared - not once, but twice - even to an audience of one. And what does that tell us? Meghan Sussex is a celebrity royal: part Hollywood star, part duchess. Repeat it often enough, and it becomes reality. One last thought on the Harper's feature. Securing a glowing cover story penned by a celebrated writer is no mean feat, and the Sussex communications team certainly deserves credit.
But I couldn't help noticing the stark contrast between this latest Harper's Bazaar cover image and the lauded Vanity Fair cover of Meghan from eight years ago - back when she and Harry were a new and widely adored royal couple. The famous 'Wild About Harry' headline depicted a beaming duchess-to-be, the understated close-up radiating positivity and promising a bright royal future. Of course, it didn't work out that way. By contrast, Meghan's 2025 cover, with its all-black power suit and grey backdrop, is sombre - almost funereal. Given the creative control she's known to wield, could this be projection? A signal that her days as a titled royal are numbered, and one chapter is closing - only for a dazzling new one to begin? Only time will tell.
