Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed a new change to their public identity, five years since stepping away from life as senior royals. The couple, who married in 2018 and became the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have spent much of the past few years under constant public scrutiny. Their decision to leave working royal life in 2020 only intensified that attention and pushed them into years of headlines, commentary and debate.
When they announced their withdrawal, the pair said their intention was to gain privacy and regain control of their daily lives. They also wanted to raise their two children, Archie and Lilibet, in an environment free from royal protocol. The move took them first to Canada, then to California, where they settled in Montecito and eventually founded Archewell, the organization that would become central to their philanthropic work.
Strained ties and a life outside the monarchy
Prince Harry has openly spoken about how his relationship with the royal family changed after his exit. He has described feeling unsupported during vulnerable periods and said the pressures of royal expectations affected his mental health. Tension surrounding the treatment of Meghan by the press and the palace deepened the divide. Although he has underlined that he still loves his family, he maintains that distance was essential for the sake of his wife, his children and his own wellbeing.
The couple’s departure also altered their relationship with the press. Harry has a long history of conflict with media intrusion, particularly following the treatment of his mother, Princess Diana. Meghan entered the royal family with her own public profile as an American actress. From the earliest days of their relationship, the coverage was intense. That scrutiny escalated after they began making choices that challenged royal expectations and later intensified with their commercial projects, interviews and legal cases.
A gradual evolution of their public name
After leaving the UK, there were widespread calls for Harry and Meghan to lose their titles. They still hold the Sussex name and Meghan has adopted it as her surname in public. In her Netflix docuseries With Love, Meghan, she even corrected actress Mindy Kaling, saying she identifies as “Sussex” now, rather than by her maiden name.