In October, the Duchess of Sussex wrote an open letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The letter was about supporting paid family leave, an important issue which needs to pass with bipartisan support, because it affects all families. Meghan was accused of “using her title” which is – in my opinion – an incredibly stupid criticism to make considering that’s her married name. In any case, Meghan is doing even more than just writing letters: she’s calling senators directly to lobby for paid family leave. From Politico:
Democrats are the ones behind the party-line social spending bill that could include paid leave. But none other than Meghan Markle is calling senators in both parties about the topic. Capito got an unexpected call from the duchess.
“I’m in my car. I’m driving. It says caller ID blocked. Honestly … I thought it was Sen. Manchin. His calls come in blocked. And she goes ‘Sen. Capito?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She said, ‘This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex,’” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) told Politico. “I couldn’t figure out how she got my number,” the West Virginia Republican added. Capito wasn’t alone in the GOP: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also got a call from the erstwhile royal.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who’s pushed her party to include paid leave in its social spending bill, said Wednesday that she gave senators’ numbers to Markle. “I talked to each of the women senators and let them know that she’s going to reach out, because she only completed two of the calls,” Gillibrand said. “She’s going to call some others, so I let them know in advance.”
“She wants to be part of a working group to work on paid leave long term and she’s going to be. Whether this comes to fruition now or later, she’ll be part of a group of women that hopefully will work on paid leave together,” Sen. Kirsten Gilibrand told Politico.
The backdrop: The call from Markle comes as paid leave advocates are making a final push on including the proposal in the social spending plan. But Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) currently opposes its inclusion.
“The erstwhile royal”? No, she’s still royal, Politico. Anyway, I’m all for it. I love how pissed off the Republican senators are and I love that Sen. Gillibrand gave out her colleagues’ private numbers too. I mean, will Meghan’s support of paid family leave sway senators either way? No. But it’s part of the public pressure being exerted on certain senators to do the right thing. And I have no idea why Susan Collins thought it was “ironic” for Meghan to introduce herself using her title, aka her married name. Meghan is an American citizen who votes and is politically active! It’s not a curiosity for goodness sake. The Daily Mail is particularly salty about this story too.
She added : “much to my surprise, she called me on my private line and she introduced herself as the duchess of Sussex, which Is kind of ironic”
— Marianne LeVine (@marianne_levine) November 3, 2021
Photos courtesy of Archewell, YouTube, cover courtesy of Time.
Oooh, Meghan is badass for making those calls. To be honest I love it. This is such an important issue and if you have that kind of (star) power, why not use it? I love how she works so strategically. She’s not seen or heard of that often, so it makes an impact when she does!
Yep. It’s because she actually has a work ethic. One of the biggest reasons sloth island was so intimidated by her.
Agreed.
Oh my god. I didn’t know I could admire her more. What a hardcore badass. Omg. Way to use your voice and your position. I adore her. Truly.
Yes, as do I! I am so glad that she is calling everyone and speaking to them! The Repugnants are always asleep at the wheel of their responsibilities to people. They just care for themselves and the big donors.
Meghan has every right to call them and I am glad that she is speaking up for us! We need more people taking action, like Duchess Meghan is. Where is everyone else?
Brava Duchess Meghan!! We are behind you!!
I have this visual of Meghan, pointing two fingers at her eyes and then at the Congresspeople “I’ve got my eye on you!”
They may still ignore whatever she said, but they know she’s paying attention… and she’s got a platform to share her opinions and comments on their voting practices if she so chooses (as all of us do to some extent, but none of them really care what I might say or do)
She must be an extrovert by nature. I’d do anything to avoid cold calling people. Even a cause I really care about, I’d probably write letters instead. IDK, maybe I’d feel differently if I had a crazy impressive title behind my name, but probably not.
I think all actors are naturally extroverts. Even the ones who are very quiet about their personal lives.
Maybe, or it’s an acquired skill for those who aren’t naturally extroverted. I did a lot of theater as a kid and was much more comfortable on stage than in social situations, but then I never worked professionally or had to hustle for gigs.
I write postcards instead. I could never do what she does.
Cue the “strip them of their titles!” people.
I think it’s great Meg is making these calls. Her time in Canada and the UK means she’s seen how leave differs for women in other countries. She can speak to how poor the US’ policies are in comparison.
But of course nobody will care about in GOPlandia
If Meghan was cold calling UK MPs, I could some reason behind calling for the stripping of the Sussex title. However, Meghan is cold calling US elected leaders and the US constitution guarantees the right of US citizens to petition their government(s). Meghan needs to just keep calling away.
BTB- the haters call for her title to be stripped every time she blinks, so they aren’t really thinking about law.
That’s the name she was forced to use on Archie’s birth certificate. People can’t insist it must be used in that circumstance, then argue she can’t use it when introducing herself.
But even if they did strip the title Duchess, couldn’t she still call herself Meghan, Princess Harry of UK? Or just straight up Meghan Windsor-Mountbatten? Everyone would know who that is.
I fucking looove her. She actually WORKS on serious issues. Issues that matter to us. Thank you Meghan for fighting for us!
Who cares about meaningless titles—the planet is burning and she GETS it. She is such a brave woman. She could have sat meekly and worn blood jewels. And they’re so mad she didn’t.
@rapunezel I haven’t seen much of that..I’m guessing they gave up that narrative because she doesn’t care and it really is pointless. I love that about Meghan and Harry they keep it moving. They literally do not care haha. Talk about spines of steel!
And they are answering! Tells you all you need to know. Good for her.
My thought too @Liz version 700, they are ecstatic to be able to feel important enough to get a call and then whine about it.
Hell, maybe she could actually stroke Sinema and Manchin’s ego enough to get something done. Meghan, here’s the plan, tell them if they actually pass voting rights they can, I dunno, take a selfie in your chicken coop. They are such attention whores they might go for it ;).
Go Meghan!! And go Gillibrand!!! I screamed when I got to the line about how she gave out the numbers, LOL.
Collins is definitely playing to her base again here with the “its ironic” she used her title – its her name and she has the right to use it, but maybe she just meant its ironic to use a British title when calling an American senator? IDK.
I wonder what they would have said if she had said “hello this is Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor, I’m married to the 6th in line to the british throne and I have the queen on speed dial, is that better than saying Duchess of Sussex?”
Yes, her base being Karens…
She has an amazing backbone, and I love it!
Happy to say I met Gillibrand at a very small local event and she was sooo kind and smart. She talked to everyone who had any questions. Love her and love Meghan for this.
What a bunch of bad ass women!
And Susan, what’s “ironic” Susan is you get paid even when you rarely show up to work.
It’s also “ironic” that Collins makes big noise about representing her constituents, then flip-flops and does the bidding of her GOP masters. Every. Time.
Ironically Susan Collins is a woman who brags about being one of the only women in Congress and a trailblazer yet who supports anti-woman politics and actively suppresses women’s rights! Like placing Brett Kavanaugh and Any Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court. That was a real star turn from fucking Susan Collins.
Meghan is so brave. She’s an American citizen, it’s absolutely her right.
Americans don’t know that Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is her married name. It’s “Prince Harry and Meghan Markle”. So I understand why these already dimwitted and ignorant senators would be confused.
Let’s be clear: There is irony in Meghan’s married name. But that irony doesn’t prohibit her from expressing her rights as every single citizen of the USA can and should do….go on her!
I’m waiting for the Brits to demand that Michele Obama drop her last name because they can’t seem to stay out of USA business. Meghan is in another country that she happens to be a citizen of yet….Salty Island still very very SALTY….
I do think it’s ironic though, because we don’t have nobility in America. Personally, I wish she would introduce herself as Meghan Mountbatton-Windsor. I just think that is a more badass name then Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and matches her personality better.
Meghan left the racist institution on ShitIsle a couple years ago. She’s done with dimming her light to make racists feel comfortable. She’s Meghan The Duchess of Sussex and anyone who hates that them theres the facts, can suck it, I guess.
@charm she left the racist institution yet still uses their titles and wants her children to have titles? interesting.
@Yara – a regular person could stop working for their inlaws’ toxic family business, or even cut off contact entirely, and still use their married name and expect to pass it to their kids – so no, it’s not that interesting
there are plenty of titled people who are not “working royals” and those titles are theirs to use as they see fit – Meghan is literally MARRIED to the title so why should it be any different for her?
I agree. Listen, I’m no fan of Sn Collins, but I suspect She doesn’t know “The Duchess of Sussex” is Meghan’s last name – so it came off to her as Meghan throwing around a title that 1. carries no meaning in the US and 2. Is part of a system that the US fought a war to be rid of.
If it were me, I probably would have said “Meghan Markle” but to be fair, she may have thought Sn Collins may not have recognized her by that name.
Duchess of Sussex is her title; Mountbatten-Windsor is her married last name. With that said, there’s no reason she can’t use her title! It’s hers. It’s her choice.
Markle is no longer her name. But more importantly, anyone paying attention would have noticed that since this year, whenever M introduces or references herself (as in Statements put out by Archewell etc) its: Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. She no longer say: “I’m Meghan Markle.” She’s just gonna allow folks to catch up.
CHARM – yes anyone paying attention would know that. What I meant was, I very much doubt an older senator from Maine has been paying attention to H&Ms comings and goings. Frankly, unless you’re a gossip blog reader or part of the commonwealth , most people are not paying close if any attention
@Stripe, “throwing around a title” seems to reflect your personal feelings, which is why you’re identifying with the horrible Senator Collins. Your #2 point bringing up the Revolutionary War…LOL. Seriously, no one in the US hears a British royalty title and gets triggered because of the war that happened 350 years ago. No one.
@Emma Mountbatten-Windsor is not Meghan’s married name. It’s not even Harry’s last name.
ATTAMEGHAN. THIS is how to Duchess, and I am so thrilled to see her carve out an entirely new way to do it while the other one keeps dressing like Anne of Green Gables.
Collins is a nightmare for Mainers. She sways because she stands with whomever lines her pockets. Early in her career she stood with Sen. Snow and that was great, but as Snow left she clung to anyone for guidance and her greed got the better of her.
Mainers are also largely stupid. This is a very rural area for a whole state and they like their news from angry people yelling about the government. And by government I mean liberals.
I can’t stand Collins and wished the Dems had run a stronger candidate against her. She has proven time and time again that she is not a friend of women or families. She is classed as a moderate but she has definitely hardened to more far right in the past few years. Gotta hand it to Meghan, this woman has guts and is not afraid to put herself out there. We all know not a single GOP rep is voting for this bill and that she gets under the right wings skin, so maybe this is a way to call them out and get them on the record as opposed. Do I think she wants to enter politics, not really, but she wants this issue of paid leave to be very prominent and out there. Maybe it’s a bit too Pollyanna, but she wants to lend her voice and help. I just wish they’d pass this bill in some form and work on getting rid of Manchin and Sinema when it time for the primaries.
WVian here. I know better than anyone that while Manchin may title himself a democrat, he’s not a democrat. However, I can tell you, he’s the only “democrat” who could win in this state right now. If he’s replaced by anyone, it’ll be yet another republican.
I think Manchin will be the last Democratic Senator of WV. If Dems a could pick up 2-3 more senate seats, I honestly wouldn’t care. If he loses to a Republican, that’s one loss I won’t miss.
This comment is pretty rude and dismissive of Mainers – are you from there? I am. I have met Olympia Snowe in the past and both of the current senators. We are by and large a purple state (we even split our electoral vote in half), and the vast, vast majority of us live in the southernmost tip of the state. I, nor anyone I know, definitely do not like our news from “angry people yelling about the government”. Southern Maine goes blue almost every time. Why the aggression? Calling us stupid is a terrible generalization and completely unfair.
That type of dismissal of rural Americans as “dumb” goes a long way towards the divisions we see today .
I’m not talking about the clear MAGATs that wear their stupidity proudly , I am talking small town America populated by moderate , pretty reasonable people that have very different concerns than larger , more densely packed metropolises.
I have to disagree with the Mainers are “largely stupid” descriptive qualifier. I vacation in rural Maine, not on the coast, and have considered living there. The Mainers I know are hardworking people. Most are seasonal workers, literally. Waitressing, doing roadwork in the summer and leaf peeper season. Teaching skiing, and odd jobbing in the winter. As a POC, they are genuinely curious and interested when I speak and a hybridised British accent comes out of this naturalised American mouth. I learn from them, and they learn from me, and we are the better for it.
Susan Collins is not doing well by her local constituency of Mainers and her larger constituency of women and families who would benefit from this in legislative the package. Stand up for working families Susan. Good for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex; Meghan Markle; Princess Henry of Wales. They are all her names. It is what she does that matters.
lol this discussion reminds me of the study that found two-thirds of Americans think they’re smarter than average
putting aside that “smart” and “dumb” are contextual/subjective, it’s pretty safe to say that most people in a given population will be average or below average versus exceptional, so most people in Maine probably aren’t smart *for someone living in Maine*
the whole idea of arguing about where Maine fits in the bigger picture of human intelligence is really hilarious to me tho
why would intelligence have anything to do with politics anyway? smart people can be just as repugnant as the next person, and below-average folks can be kind, curious and hardworking.
information and education probably matter more, in which case I have some bad news for maine: https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa_854.pdf
Yes I am a Mainer. I have lived here for over 2 decades with brief breaks.
Maine is beautiful and the people can be lovely and warm. Especially if your car breaks down or you lost power. But have you been to rural Maine? It’s everywhere. Large pockets where the houses are few and far between waving Trump flags. Painting their own Trump 2024 signs. Preaching to any gas station cashier that is forced to listen about how awful the Democrats are as if our political parties are sports rivals.
I was Speaking towards politics and With exception to nicer areas that are heavily populated with left leaning voters in smaller spaces Mainers love Trump because they’re told to. They have a false image of him.
And yes our state split only from the way our electoral college is drawn, but this state went very red if you look and very small amounts were blue.
Same
I am talking about magats. There are whole towns in rural Maine. And a large portion of Maine is rural.
You shouldn’t call people stupid and then misspell your former Senator Olympia Snowe’s name twice, just saying.
The US had long been behind the curve on family leave – the old bootstraps work yourself to death and you can have it all bullshit – see also paid vacation , average hours worked per week , not paying a living wage to hospitality workers etc ….
I love this! Duchess Meghan, keep using your title, and thanks for being our voice.
I don’t understand why Republicans would be against paid leave.
Because they look out for themselves and themselves only. They already get 12 weeks paid leave as Senators so why should they do anything to benefit the plebs (including the ones who vote them in).
Corporations are against it
Many corporations/businesses already offer it. Many states already offer it. What this bill seeks to do is mandate it at the federal level so that working heads of families across America are guaranteed at least a minimum amt of paid leave built into their contracts.
Republicans are against anything hat helps people bu hurts in any way the bottom line of corporations.
I defy anyone to show me a policy they drafted and voted to pass that has the sole purpose of helping anyone but the rich.
Not against it in theory, just think it should be up to each individual company to decide their policies. I don’t care for government mandates of any sort personally.
@Elizabeth,
So, you care for people being at the mercy of their employer because it’s somehow… freer? What an inane position. We’d still have child labor if we left it up to each individual company to decide their policies, I’m sure.
@tessa: BRAVA!
@Tessa – Exactly! Corporations are uninterested and unmotivated to do better. And some have even outright admitted they won’t reform on a variety of issues unless government forces them too. So remind us again — why should they get to decide?
So the fact hat America is the only industrialized country (nevermind smaller states that already hv pd leave mandates) that doesnt hv paid leave mandate means that everyone else is wrong and America is the only country with the ‘sane’ approach of NOT mandating the right of workers to go take care of themselves or other loved ones without fear of losing their job?
@Tessa
Jesus, why does everyone on this site take everything to such a dogmatic extreme?? Y’all are seriously unhinged. Clearly you have never run a company yourself or you would understand why business owners want government out of their business as much as possible. Not every business is a big evil fat cat corporation. But what do I know, I’m just a female trying to run my own small business.
Elizabeth
As a female also running my own business, yes I want the government regulations out to some degree because regulations also help. We start businesses for many reasons and I think the biggest is capitalism. I also think we want the government less involved for tax purposes generally speaking.
It’s not even about the paid leave. It’s about being against anything that liberals are for. It’s just about sticking it to the libs, even if you’re voting against your own self-interests. People are actually more stimulated by the idea of the other side losing, than they are about their side winning.
You are sooooooooo right !!!
Yeah, but this is an utter waste of time. There is literally no Senator, Republican or Democrat, who will change their mind because Meghan calls them. She’d be far better off funding grassroots orgs that can get constituents in the districts of these lawmakers to call or show up in member district offices to lobby for this. If she really wants to get political, she can start showing up as a headliner at fundraisers to help lawmakers who support family leave elected.
Of course she’s not going to change minds JUST because of her but her voice adds to the already public pressure of making senators vote for paid leave. We’re just hearing about her calling because she’s famous but plenty of people are trying to convince their elected officials to support paid leave.
Kaiser had it exactly right: this is about public pressure campaign. Republicans aren’t going to care about people suddenly, but she is raising awareness of the work Democrats keep trying to get done to no avail.
Now they have royalty pointing everyone’s attention at it.
Of course! What’s M thinking? To think that she thought she could do what she wants without consulting with you first. Jeeeze! Get that permission, Duchess. /sarc.
Is it though? She’s raising awareness of an issue that is important to her and should be important to all American citizens who are parents or hope to become parents. And she didn’t even have to mention it publicly. The senators are the ones publicizing it. They’re freely admitting that they’re voting against something that would help millions of Americans.
Excellent point, they’re openly scoffing at ensuring paid family leave for all. Take note, voters.
Duchess Meghan is doing her civic duty as an American citizen. Congress works for the people not for their favorite flavor. Years ago I a nobody went to Capitol Hill and voiced my support of stem cell research. If you have a voice use it for good not malice. Thank you Madame Duchess!
She is modeling positive citizen engagement. Imagine if we all called our Senators today. Yeah, we’ll get the office line and a staffer will answer, but it’s about consistent, substantial public pressure.
I love that she is treating this as issue that crosses party lines. It is about all people. Shows how astute she is.
The GOP will never support a bill like this because they are about obstruction to any Democrat in the White House. This is a waste of time, which she should know. You can’t appeal to these people but they at least heard her voice on behalf of advocates for paid leave and kept true to her belief in this as a bipartisan issue. Good intentions don’t get one very far in D.C. until there is major corporate lobbying.
But, her calls are getting play in a way that they would not have (IMO) if she just called Democrats – which I don’t think would have received any air time. Which means the issue is out there even more. That’s a good thing. Keep that ball in play as long as it needs to be.
Anyone have an ID on the white wrap/sweater? I love it so much.
@Aud
Me too, even though I’m sure it’s way out of my price range. Not sure what the ID on the clothes is, but it may be in the original article that covered when she first wore it (when they announced her 40×40 project for her 40th bday).
I do find it kind of weird that she’s using her title vs. Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor for American political work. Not because of what the British media thinks but because Duchess of Sussex is not an American title *and* the US did fight a war to be independent of Britain and the British royal family. I just think it could potentially rub some senators/constituencies the wrong way, like wtf are these “foreign socialists” doing trying to tell us how to do things? I know it’s her title and she’s totally allowed to use it but to be using it in American political work does seem like it has a lot of potential to backfire with the people she actually wants to influence (lawmakers). That said, I’m sure MM has smarter advisers than me so if they are saying go for it…I guess they know what they are talking about. But honestly I would love if both of them would say fuck these titles, we live in American now and we’re going to embrace that, we’re the Mountbatten-Windsors from now on.
Sussex is her “legal” name. Sussex is the name on her UK marriage certificate and Archie’s birth certificate.
US marriage certificates and birth certificates are different from the corresponding UK document and US documents differ greatly from state to state.
Sussex is not her legal name..there’s a difference between a title and a legal name. It’s her TITLE.
It’s not her legal last name. Prior to 1917, the British royals had no surname, but now they do, and it’s Mountbatten-Windsor. HRH, Prince/Princess and Duchess are called “styles” and are optional, but are what most royals use, since it’s a privilege to have them, and denotes status.
So the argument that it’s her legal name makes no sense. Neither does the argument that if she drops the Duchess, she’ll have to add Princess. That’s just something repeated on here constantly. These are all just British styles, which as the OP pointed out, are inconsistent with American values.
The name is on British paperwork because they’re legally allowed to use them in the UK. It doesn’t make it her surname.
@Haya – the princess part comes in because if they are stripped of their titles (very unlikely but lets just play along) and so she is no longer The Duchess of Sussex, then she becomes Princess Henry, same way we have Princess Michael. Harry is a prince, they can’t do anything about that, so she is Princess Henry if she’s not a duchess.
Now we can debate what should be used in the US, but I think Duchess of Sussex is fine because everyone knows who we mean when we say that. she can use it.
@becks1 They can put all of Harry’s titles in abeyance. No stripping needed. So if they ever want to do a abeyance they wouldn’t be Prince or Princess. A monarch can technically take away any title. It happened in 1917 when then current monarch took away Prince and Princess titles.
@Becks1, she wouldn’t become Princess Henry. She currently has the option to use both Princess Henry or Duchess of Sussex, but neither are her legal name. They’re stylings she’s allowed to use. So if they removed Duke and Duchess, but they wanted continue to use royal titles, they could then use Prince/Princess. It doesn’t mean they have to because it’s just their name, as keeps being implied. The use of royal stylings for any family members who are granted them, is a personal choice. There are numerous articles about it, including on official royal websites.
Prince Harry doesn’t have a surname. The Mountbatten-Windsor is for those born without the title. And he was born a prince.
I’m pretty sure if he wanted to acquire a legal surname in the US he could, and in that case I guess he could do either M-W or Sussex (as others have said is technically Meghan’s legal name). My point is, the continued use of titles does seem somewhat at odds with being done with the BRF, living in America, and now apparently getting involved in American political causes. A title is not something genetic you are stuck with like a wonky nose or a predisposition to cancer–if you want to get rid of it, you can (and certainly you can stop using it publicly fairly easily). I don’t know everything going on behind the scenes so who knows, they may have some great reasons for continuing to use their titles. I just personally find it strange. If I were Meghan I would want NOTHING about me to be associated with the BRF.
He does have a legal name…It’s Mountbatten-Windsor….Where did his children’s last names come from? the sky? his children also have titles.
@Yara so that’s why he went by the Wales in the military? Same with William. And the Cambridge children go by Cambridge at school.
The mountbatten-windsor is a last name available for the royals but the titled royals don’t need it.
The last name is always there though….William also used Mountbatten- Windsor when he sued some paps. Again Archie and Lili are technically Earl and Lady but yet they still have last names. “The Duke of Sussex” is not his legal name. It’s a title. He can go by “Harry Sussex” or “Harry Mountbatten- Windsor”
I am loving the new names today insisting Meghan should just go by Mountbatten-Windsor or that Harry’s titles could be put in abeyance. Ew. You all aren’t subtle.
@Becks1 They aren’t new names..people are just saying facts. Why do you care if they lose their titles anyway? the royals are racist correct? that whole institution is horrible correct?
Yara you need to actually read the declaration of the Privy Council in 1960 about this because it provides the surname Mountbatten Windsor for Philip’s descendants that do not have a title. Harry has a title so please read up on things before you create a new handle and try to act like you know something.
It’s not defending anything but demonstrating that you didn’t even do a brief google search before you spouted things out of your ass.
On the other hand, Republicans so badly want to take us back to a monarchy but just with their party as the royal family forever installed and supported by taxpayers.
I’m getting such a kick out of her using that title. It’s hers, she worked hard for it unlike the rest of that family. She’s using it to kick these entitled snobs in the shin. I am loving it.
I will respectfully disagree , none of them “worked” for any of their titles .
@Same, I said Meghan worked for it, and in my opinion she did. She suffered through and continues to suffer through horrific, planned, funded public attacks to drive her to harm herself.
Meghan earned that title and she has every right to use it.
She didn’t work for her “title” none of them did. Keep defending a woman who is best friends with a racist.
oh Yara. You overplayed your hand with that one.
The whole royal family is racist no matter what William says so you can just go back to wherever you came from.
@Beckis1 I agree that whole family is racist….so is Harry for saying multiple racial slurs and well Meghan is bffs with a racist. They are all the same so I’m not gonna defend any one of them.
and yet you only show up on this thread to be critical of Meghan.
Is Jason footing the bill for this excursion? Or are you being disingenuous for free?
Eh, it is a tad bit precious . Sussex is her last name , Duchess is a title and a choice.
Some will love it – if it were the Duchess of Cornwall we would tell her to shove her opinion up her arse.
It is a little both sides- I’m going to use this foreign title to exercise my rights as an American that fought a war to get away from same foreign entity.
The Duchess of Cornwall wasn’t born in America, so I’m not getting the comparison?
Is Meghan supposed to not use her birth right? Or is she supposed to give up power she has to look humble? Sorry, I don’t understand your point.
Nowhere did I state nor imply that she should give up anything. The note about “humble “ is strictly your language as well.
My point was , and still is , that I find it a tad precious to use a British title to gain access to a member of Congress …
I love the cause – I support extended paid maternity and paternity leave , as well as a livable minimum wage , a 32 hour work week and paid time off. While we are are it protections for exempt employees who work overtime without compensation.
Not everything is an attack , sometimes it’s just a difference of opinion.
I get what Same is saying. I feel the same way if someone introduces themselves in social situations as John Doe, Esq or MD or MBA or whatever, or calls themselves Dr. Doe all the time instead of Mr Doe- and the aristocracy part is an extra rub for Americans.
Mountbatten Windsor is not her legal name though. Someone was interviewing Fergie once and they asked her what she used as her last name and she said she didn’t have one. I think it was Jay Leno who asked. When he asked her what was on her passport she said York, not Mountbatten Windsor. So I would leave it up to Meghan to know what last name to use for herself. As far as using a title, as long as she’s not committing fraud, she can use it. A foreign title isn’t recognized for official business, but for all we know, maybe she has made that her legal name.
Haha what is with people bringing up the Revolutionary War like it is a major triggering subject for people in 2021?!?!
Also, to those who are so bothered by her using “Duchess of Sussex”…WTF do you care? I have an inkling about why you care but you don’t want to admit it.
+1
Brava Duchess Meghan!
Good for Meghan! Susan Collins won’t support this bill no matter what because she is deeply dumb and does whatever McConnell tells her to do. Murkowski is the only one who might flip on a stand-alone paid leave bill.
It is absolutely possible to be an American citizen with a European title.
And Lili will be an American woman when she grows up-this directly concerns her.
Genuinely, do Americans really feel a certain way about her using the title and I’m not talking about her detractors. Because I get the feelings she is regarded more as celebrity than as a royal in America and the media use both her title and Meghan Markle.
I am an American and I do not mind her using it because she’s using it for real things that are important, not to get into Bungalo 8 or something (did that age me, yikes)
I really don’t think anyone cares. She’s trying to make a difference and that’s really all that matters at the end of the day.
The only people I see scrutinizing her name are some royalists/some people on this page/some haters. Everything she did before used to create some fake outrage but that’s gone down quite a bit now. The hate isn’t gaining traction anymore. I think people realize no one’s gonna stop her.
Everyone else is focused on the issue which is passing paid leave. However many voices we can get on it the better. I contacted my senator and got a letter back from her.
I’m American and I am loving it.
Certain types of Americans don’t like black women having any power, but many of us love it. We also voted for Barack Obama twice and adore his wife and our FLOTUS forever, Michelle Obama.
No, most Americans don’t mind if she uses her title. I think this “outrage” about the title is a GOP talking point designed to make the republicans look good, and to paint the liberals as “shady” for using foreign influence.
Republicans are the most likely ones to love establishment and things like titles. If Meghan wasn’t identified with more liberal causes they would be eating this up.
I wonder if Senator Collins would prefer not to be recognized by her proper title? Seriously, though, Meghan’s putting her mouth where her money is, and good for her!
Good point. She is Susie from now on.
I think Collins is an absolute waste of time. She seems to have no compass, and she strikes me as the most ineffective Senator. She will generally tow the party line. I imagine Meghan phoned her because Maine is probably in favor of some kind of policy at least for personal leave.
I like Meghan (even from the time she associated with Reitmans for a clothing line!) and never was into Kate as I do not get her (no work etc.). However, I really do not see how using a ‘noble (Andrew wears some too so noble why and how?!)’ title and ‘married women’ last name is in any manner femisnist and progressive; her choice entirely, but no one has to agree it is feminist and progressive. It is not. Lots of women go after wedding by the name they had before. It is not true that everyone in North America thinks title are normal- it is what some countries fought against at some point in history.
I like they support the cause. However, ideally everyone needs to make sure they abide by all legislations, not sure what are lobbying requirements in this context. I guess it was checked ahead.
I didn’t change my name after marriage (and I hated my last name) because it was the one I had from birth and how I started my career. However, I have never questioned people’s reasons or motives to change theirs, nor questioned their feminism. It’s a matter of choice and having the ability to make that choice that makes all the difference for me.I personally prefer Meghan Markle to Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex but I can understand if the Markle part has become tainted for her.
Feminism is about choice, not just obeying convention. Its her choice in what she calls herself, what is more “feminist” than that? Exchanging one form of tyranny for another in terms of what you call your own person is not “feminist” either.
@ML this post is so full of unintended irony. Or has that escaped you?
The faux concern trolls going on about Meghan’s title have no problem with “Princess” Diana. It’s actually ridiculous that Diana continued to use the Princess title when she divorced the Prince that gave her that title. But no one talks about that.
Harry is still the Duke of Sussex, he’s not Mr Mountbatten Windsor. Therefore Meghan IS the Duchess of Sussex. Funny how no one expects Harry to reject his titles. Why shouldn’t they be united? This is their actual and legal family name.
The narrative about calling senators while using the title is more moving of the goal posts. People complain every time she uses it, even when writing books.
The concepts of royalty and the aristocracy should be abolished but while they exist what we are NOT going to do is arbitrarily be bothered when the black royal is simply existing and taking what’s rightfully hers in those white institutions. People need to check their biases and why they were so comfortable with this silly institution with their silly titles until the black woman came along.
I agree totally. It’s like Fox News linked to CB up in here.
But why use a title from a racist institution tho? they treated her horribly? why be linked to them?
No one is denying that the royal institution is racist, thanks for emphasizing that point.
However, from the very beginning, Harry and Meghan hv made a distinction between the Royal Institution and the Royal Family despite the usual suspects who want to hide behind the actual members of the royal family and the men-in-grey who manage them and run the institution.
But H&M will not relent in their persistence in separating the two.
@charm It wasn’t the men in grey suits who didn’t give them what they wanted, it was the Queen. The Queen could’ve gave Archie a title she didn’t, she could’ve gave them security she didn’t, she could’ve shut down stories but she didn’t. Naming your child after the head of the institution that didn’t give you help and still using their titles doesn’t make sense. How are you gonna call the institution racist yet somehow the head/family of the institution isn’t? It doesn’t work that way.
The Queen operates just fine when her son Andrew is in trouble. “The men in grey suits” listen to the Queen. She has the final say.
@yara because Harry and Meghan have been very clear that they do not blame the Queen for what happened. As they were the ones there, they would know.
@becks1 It doesn’t matter what they say the facts are there. The Queen didn’t give them what they wanted. Not the men in grey suits. She defends her criminal son but not Harry or Meghan? again keep being blind.
Harry declared at their engagement that whatever the future held, they would face it together as a team. He said he knows that they are a great team. Sussex is their team name. It’s their identity; it belongs only to them. They use Sussex on all their official business, although I notice that Meghan often uses just Meghan, and often the press refers to her as Meghan Markle. It’s just a unique situation. I don’t think any other American citizen has married into the British royal family, and returned to US to live and work, bringing the Royal with them. I think all the European houses have a surname, but I don’t know if it is applied the way the British do. I notice that the other married ins get a princess title in the own right- none of this Princess Henry nonsense.
@Tamsin – nope , the other married ins do not. Kate is Princess William , Princess Michael of Kent , Fergie was at one time Princess Andrew and Diana was the Princess of Wales. Euges and the redhead are “blood” princesses so they get a title outside of the husband .
The other married ins do not get Princess in their own right. Kate is Princess William etc. only girls born to royal parents in the male lines to the Monarch are Princess in their own right: Beatrice, Eugenie, Charlotte, Louise (tho she doesn’t use it) Lili when Charles is King.
@MA, spot on. People are clutching their pearls when the black duchess does it. Check your bias, people.
@Ma – right?? I’m sure these people insisting Meghan should never go by Duchess of Sussex still refer to Harry’s mother as Princess Diana, which was always incorrect.
All. Of. This. Excellent point about no one having a problem with divorced, HRH stripped Diana still calling herself “Princess”.
Please let them punish Meghan for fighting for working families by taking Harry’s dukedom so that she will have to go by Princess Henry of Wales. That’ll show her! It’s not like the press will inevitably shorten it to Princess Meghan like they did with Diana(whose title was never Princess Diana). LOL
The anecdote from Senator Gillibrand that Manchin, whose dumba** single handedly got paid leave out of the senate bill, didnt realize that people have to have jobs to get paid leave has got to be one of the most depressing things I’ve ever heard. So much respect to her and Senator Murray(who should be Majority Leader) for continuing to fight on this especially since removing paid leave, free community college, etc to shrink the bill down $2 trillion has still not been enough to get Sinema and Manchin to agree to it. It’s a policy with 84% approval among the country which is almost unheard in this divided country so it’s worth to keep pushing as a standalone later if it doesn’t make it into this package.
Fergie uses Duchess if York, and is introduced as such. Meghan has perfect right to do the same.
Diana is no longer there. We do not know which name she would use. Anyhow, I think the same of all titles for all of them, all HRH etc. You are entitled to like it- but there are non royalists who think class systems are not to be preserved and should go away.
You can take your husband’s name and be a feminist, but no one can ask others to find it fantastic and progressive for people to go around using archaic titles coming from another time.
She has the same rights as all the others to use it, but I dont have to think having one should give anyone more credit. What she says and fights for is what matters, not her or any other member of that family titles.
Not sure what is Fox news about it.
That’s what I like about Meghan, she doesn’t just send a letter, she makes phone calls, she sends gift cards to those in the trenches, she joins a committee. That’s how you support a cause. Another Duchess shows up a at memorial with a photographer in tow, send a letter to the family and thinks she’s done her bit to raise awareness about women being murdered on the streets of London.
Manchin said yesterday, without irony, that the results of Tuesday’s election shows that the Democrats need to work together.
That’s rich coming from Manchin. He’s a one man obstruction to this bill passing. An article recently said he was hoping he could take cover behind the progressives tanking the bill, but they supported it and now he, more than Sinema, is exposed at the lone holdout, to the point where there is a rumor he’s leaving the Democratic Party. As for Meghan using her title, that’s her name. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. It’s weird that royals, any royals, don’t have a working last name. In most articles and vernacular, she is often referred to as Meghan Markle, so the fuss over the title on paper is very overblown. Yes people pay attention more with it, but the eyes of the world have been on her since 2016, and calling her Duchess of Sussex since 2018. This isn’t new so why not direct the attention positively? Do some people think she’s a British citizen or don’t know she’s an American citizen? Why act so surprised now?
WTF was she supposed to say? “Hi, this is Meghan”? They would immediately hang up. She used her actual name by way of introduction, which also happens to be a flex and gets right to the point.
And make NO mistake; these Rs are THRILLED to be considered important enough to talk to a royal and to receive blanket news coverage on at least two continents. They are quivering with joy right now, trust.
I hurt my eyes reading all these new posers arguing about meghan’s name.
Isn’t it embarassing for these senators to complain about HOW meghan calling them?
Instead of discussing about WHY she is calling?
And acting like we’re all brand new and oh did you know Meghan is BFFs with a racist so how on earth can we defend her?!?!?!!!
@becks1 is she not best friends with a racist? explain??? keep kissing her ass. her and racist husband who wore a nazi costume are trash just like the BRF.
@Yara your true colour is showing. Lady stop!
Maybe they are getting their kicks in before the links to royal reporters amplifying their accounts are revealed tomorrow.
I love the ones that are mad, loud and wrong!
If people are getting their panties in a wad, she could introduce herself as Oprah’s friend, Meghan. Like Oprah said about the latte company, my friend Meghan. We’d still all know who it was. Kinda j/k but you know. They’ll get in a wad no matter what. I personally love that she uses HER OWN title which she’s fully entitled to. Go Madam Duchess.
Brave, beautiful, and extraordinary. That is Meghan!
@yara
Meltdown or what???.
It took a couple of posts, but *Yara* finally combusted!😤🤯😂
She is such a badass. Salty media are only upset because it is back on the table. They were hoping it would not make the cut and were saving that storyline for a later pile on.
By the way, if M-W was Harry’s legal surname the way some of y’all are claiming, we would’ve seen that in Lili’s birth certificate. I’m sure the man himself and his lawyers know a little more than we do about this matter.
Oh my, the irony!
Does Susan Collins introduce herself as Susan Collins, Sue Collins, Ms. Collins,
Mrs. Susan Collins Daffron or Senator Collins when she is wanting to designate who she is relating to other professionals regarding governmental issues?
Should I refer to myself as Miss, Ms, Mrs. or if widowed the former Mrs. of a deceased Mr.?
I wouldn’t want to offend all the perfect nit picking purist judges regarding MY PERSONAL CHOICE OF ADDRESS because, truth be told, it is MY PERSONAL CHOICE, just as it is YOUR CHOICE or the PERSONAL CHOICE OF Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex!
ps. FYI Collins, it is not the duchess of Sussex it is the Duchess of Sussex!
So unsurprised the message she left regarding use of her title overrides the importance of the issue of parental leave!
I have been yesterday and today comments about this topic-If the royal family gets political about the environment and a lot of people have wrote that they should not be involved in this-then the Sussexes who no longer are working royals but still have titles-as long as they do not use titles to just benefit themselves but to help others-people need to remember that they were married in 2018 and those titles were given to them by the queen-it will be the royal family who will decide when and if titles be removed-until that time that is their names as a married couple-but they could just call themselves Harry and Meghan Montblatten-Windsor and everybody would still know who they were-it makes no difference now everybody knows their name. Some of these people criticizing Harry and Meghan are truly SATAN’S SHITSTAINS.
Are they moving the goal posts again? I thought they agreed not to use HRH on letterhead and such. She phoned politicians while Chuck and Bill were in Scotland preaching to politicians please point out the difference.
Also, ironic doesn’t mean what you think it means Collins.
Paging Alanis.
I feel it’s important for rich, privledged people, especially women to speak about paid leave for all. Loudly and often.
These women and men have already experienced the benefits of long leaves, they have the means and opportunities to take extended leaves when they welcome a new family member or help another family member ease into the other side. When they advocate for it, they’re saying I know how great that is. You deserve it too. We all deserve it.
A lot of discussion about the legal last name. It seems to me those higher up royals don’t really have a default last name and I actually don’t think the law is particularly clear on this. They can use an assortment based on the situation. But I don’t think you’re going to find some register somewhere that definitively notes what their legal last name is. For the lower untitled royals Mountbatten-Windsor is the only available surname to work with.