Meghan Markle reprimands Mindy Kaling for not using her royal title ‘Sussex’; netizens troll saying, ‘this was planned’

Drama often finds its way into the spotlight and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, just gave us another moment to talk about. Formerly known as Meghan Markle, the Suits star recently premiered her own cooking show on Netflix — With Love, Meghan, where she invited several high-profile guests to join her on screen. One such guest was actor and producer Mindy Kaling, who was one of the first to be invited on the show. However, it wasn’t just their lively conversation that caught the attention of viewers — it was a brief exchange about Meghan's royal title that sparked a flurry of reactions online.

Minutes into the episode, things took an unexpected turn when Mindy Kaling referred to Meghan as “Meghan Markle” — a name the duchess no longer goes by. Meghan, looking directly at Kaling, corrected her, saying, “It’s so funny too, that you keep saying ‘Meghan Markle’. You know I’m Sussex now.” The comment, though made in a friendly tone, seemed to catch viewers, as well as Kaling, by surprise.

Kaling's reaction to the correction remains unclear due to the editing of the show, but Meghan went on to explain the personal significance of using the name “Meghan Sussex”. “You have kids and you go, ‘No, I share my name with my children.’ And that feels so — I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me. But it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name, our little family name,’” she said.

While the interaction may have seemed like a small moment, it quickly became the talk of the internet. Why, you may ask? Mainly because of the immortal drama surrounding Meghan and Prince Harry's decision to step back as senior members of the royal family in 2020. After their announcement, Buckingham Palace stated that while they could retain their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they would no longer be referred to as His and Her Royal Highness.

What many found ironic was that Meghan seemed to be emphasising the use of Sussex on her own show, despite stepping back from royal duties. Some viewers speculated that the moment was scripted, with a few even suggesting that Mindy Kaling was paid extra to call her “Meghan Markle” so that Meghan could correct her on camera. One user commented, “I 100% think this was a planned script so she could address that media keeps calling her MM.” Others felt that the exchange was a bit too staged, with one commenting, “This was definitely scripted, and it was poorly acted on madam’s part.”

There were also viewers who found the interaction cringe-worthy, criticizing both Meghan’s acting and her correction of Kaling. “This is BEYOND cringe! Her acting is TERRIBLE and her correcting Mindy is so petty, I can’t even,” one comment read. Another user pointed out the underlying contradiction in Meghan's words, saying, “It’s a perfect example of saying one thing and meaning another. What she said: ‘You're so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I am Sussex now.’ What she meant: ‘How effing stupid can you be?’” The exchange has even sparked debates on whether Meghan is truly embracing her new title or using it as a way to subtly remind people of her royal connection; viewers also felt that Meghan's attempt to distance herself from her former title while still correcting Kaling for using it is a bit contradictory.

Leading from this, Drew Barrymore has now made headlines as the first celebrity host to publicly refer to the Duchess of Sussex as “Meghan Sussex,” following the reprimand. The moment comes ahead of Meghan's appearance on Barrymore’s talk show on Thursday, where a trailer reveals the host using the new title in place of the former “Meghan Markle”. It’s a clear sign that Meghan's royal title is still a topic of conversation and significance in the public eye.