Those who have been keeping up with the news about Meghan Markle’s adoption of the name ‘Sussex’ may have noticed a relevant scene in the recent episode of ‘1923.’
In the third episode of the second season of Taylor Sheridan’s Western Drama series, a precursor to Yellowstone, Alexandra (played by Julia Schlaepfer) is depicted arriving in the United States at Ellis Island.
As she goes through customs, an officer asks for her name. ‘Alexandra of Sussex,’ she replies.
‘Is Sussex your last name?’ the officer questions, to which she says, ‘Sussex is the region where my family is from.’
The customs officer quips, ‘I didn’t ask where you were from, I asked your last name’ which is when she tells him that it’s ‘Dutton.’Â
Certain viewers of the show made a connection between Meghan and the storyline, with one person sharing on social media, ‘Watching 1923. The young lady’s name is Alexandra of Sussex. They ask for her real name, lol.’
Viewers following the news surrounding Meghan Markle’s name change to ‘Sussex’ likely found a small scene in this week’s ‘1923’ episode particularly timely;Â Julia Schlaepfer seen in a still from the show
The former Suits star, 43, has insisted her surname is Sussex as she corrected her celebrity friend and The Office star Mindy Kaling in her new Netflix cookery show, ‘With Love, Meghan’
‘On an episode of 1923 one of the characters is immigrating to America. She’s the Countess of Sussex from England and when asked what her name is she tells him “Alexandra, Countess of Sussex”. He asks if Sussex is her last name and she says ‘no, it’s where I’m from’ [laughing emoji].’
‘Alexandra of Sussex… Dutton, I mean. Dutton through and through. That Ellis Island scene was [fire emoji] #1923,’ another person wrote.Â
In season one, Alex was engaged to Arthur, the Earl of Sussex (played by Bruce Davison), a character inspired by Prince Arthur of Connaught.Â
The Sussex surname has become a trending topic online due to Meghan, 43.
The former Suits star has insisted her surname is Sussex as she corrected her celebrity friend and The Office star Mindy Kaling in her new Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan.
In episode two of the series, the former royal is joined by Mindy, 45, as she shows her fellow mother how to host a children’s party.
As Meghan carefully demonstrated how to assemble a cucumber sandwich, the pair spoke about their favorite fast food growing up.
The Duchess of Sussex called herself a ‘latchkey kid’ who ‘grew up with a lot of fast food and TV tray dinners’, listing off US chains Pollo Loco, Taco Bell and Jack In The Box.
But Mindy seemed to get under Meghan’s skin with her response, as she said: ‘I don’t think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack In The Box and loves it.’
On season two, episode three, of Taylor Sheridan’s Western Drama — a prequel to Yellowstone — Alexandra (Schlaepfer) is pictured arriving in America at Ellis Island
As she goes through customs, an officer asks for her name. ‘Alexandra of Sussex,’ she replies. ‘Is Sussex your last name?’ the officer questions, to which she says, ‘Sussex is the region where my family is from’
The customs officer quips, ‘I didn’t ask where you were from, I asked your last name’ which is when she tells him that it’s ‘Dutton’
Some fans spotted the interesting link between Meghan and the plotline, with one writing on X, ‘Watching 1923. Young lady’s name Alexandra of Sussex. They say what’s your real name, lol’
Trying to hide her frown with a smile, she replied: ‘It’s so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I’m Sussex now.’
As Mindy looked confused, Meghan, who has only visited Sussex once, continued: ‘You have kids and you go “No, I share my name with my children”.
‘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”.
After being corrected, Mindy awkwardly responded: ‘Well, now I know and I love it.’
Meghan was then introduced as ‘Meghan Sussex’ during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show last week.
The Duchess’s insistence on using her title as a surname has caused a stir amongst royal-watchers, with many questioning her decision to adopt ‘Sussex’ as her family name, particularly in light of her and Prince Harry’s limited connection to the county.
They have only ever officially visited the region once – for just six hours – after a whistle-stop tour in October 2018 taking in Brighton, Chichester and Peacehaven.
While members of the Royal Family entitled to the style of HRH Prince or Princess do not actually need a use surname day to day, according to Buckingham Palace, officially the family’s name is Mountbatten-Windsor – and is recorded as such on both Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s birth certificates.
‘It’s so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle, you know I’m Sussex now,’ Meghan stated on her new cooking show, as Mindy looked confusedÂ
After being corrected, Mindy awkwardly responded: ‘Well, now I know and I love it’
Meghan was then introduced as ‘Meghan Sussex’ during her appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show last week
The Duchess’s insistence on using her title as a surname has caused a stir amongst royal-watchers, with many questioning her decision to adopt ‘Sussex’ as her family name, particularly in light of her and Prince Harry’s limited connection to the county; seen in February
This dates back to 1960 when Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh decided they would like their own direct descents to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family, without changing the name of the Royal House (which had been Windsor since 1917, after George V anglicised the name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as a result of anti-German public sentiment).
And so it was declared in the Privy Council that the Queen’s descendants would add a hyphenated ‘Mountbatten’ to reflect Prince Philip’s surname, which he himself took on in 1947 when he became a naturalised Briton.
However it may come as a surprise to some to learn that Meghan is not actually wrong either.
In fact members of the Royal Family – indeed, the peerage generally – often use their dukedom or title as a ‘shorthand surname’.
Hence Harry was always known as Harry Wales when at school and in the military as a nod to his father, King Charles, then the Prince of Wales.
William has also always used the named Wales, and his children do so too now.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie (at least before they got married) also used the surname York, after their father, Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.
It is, therefore, not entirely surprising at all that Harry and Meghan would choose to have their children, Archie and Lilibet, known as Sussex, or that they would use it as well.
Despite being panned by critics, ‘With Love, Meghan’ has been renewed for a second season
The mother-of-two appears to be on cloud nine following the release of her new Netflix show With Love, Meghan – despite it being largely panned by media outlets.
It was described by reviewers as ‘gormless lifestyle filler’ with a ‘tangible desperation’ after it premiered on Tuesday.
One said it shows the Duchess is ‘attempting to cling to fame by any means possible,’ while another described how she was ‘joylessly filling kids’ party bags with seeds.’
Despite this, the gleeful star posted a video of herself dancing around to her Instagram Stories to confirm that her show had been renewed for a second season.
