On Sunday, 8 March, Meghan took to Instagram to post a heartfelt message dedicated to her daughter, Princess Lilibet. The photo showed the duchess sitting on a sunny beach, cuddled up with her four year old daughter in what appeared to be a relaxed and affectionate moment between mother and child.
Alongside the image, Meghan wrote a short but emotional caption.
“For the woman she will one day be…
Happy International Women’s Day.”
At the end of the post, she credited the photographer as “Papa Sussex”, referring to Prince Harry, who took the picture.
Critics react to the “Papa Sussex” nickname
It did not take long for the caption to spark discussion online. Some critics quickly took issue with the nickname Meghan used for her husband, questioning the phrase “Papa Sussex”.
One person wrote, “Papa Sussex? Really??”
Another critic complained that the nickname sounded overly sentimental and unnecessary, while others described it as awkward or strange. A few people even questioned why Meghan did not simply refer to Harry as “dad” or “daddy” in the caption.
One comment read, “I wonder why she calls him Papa Sussex when he’s taking photos of their children. Will the kids actually call him Papa Sussex?”
The criticism quickly spread across social media, with some users suggesting that Meghan was intentionally emphasising the Sussex name again.
Fans step in to defend the couple
However, many supporters were quick to defend the couple and push back against the criticism.
Some pointed out that “Papa” is a very common way for British children to refer to their fathers, and that the addition of “Sussex” in the caption likely served a simple purpose. According to one fan, it could help distinguish Prince Harry from his own father, King Charles, whom Harry has also reportedly referred to as “Papa”.
Others argued that the reaction to the caption was unnecessary.
One supporter wrote that people who dislike Harry and Meghan could simply ignore news about them instead of filling comment sections with negativity. Another added that constant criticism of the couple seemed excessive when readers could simply focus on other royal news they prefer.
A final commenter summed up the mood among supporters by asking critics bluntly why the nickname bothered them so much.
Why the Sussex name matters to Meghan
The discussion around the nickname also touches on a broader topic that has followed Meghan and Harry for years. Since the couple stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, there has been ongoing debate about how they use the Sussex name.
Meghan has previously spoken about why sharing the same family name with their children is meaningful to her. During an episode of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, she discussed the topic while talking with actress Mindy Kaling.
When Kaling jokingly referred to her as Meghan Markle, the duchess laughed and pointed out that she now goes by Sussex.
She explained that once you have children, sharing the same name as them takes on a different emotional significance. For her, it represents the identity of their small family.
Meghan later addressed the topic again during an appearance on the YouTube show The Circle with Emily Chang. She admitted that the royal naming system can be confusing, especially for Americans unfamiliar with British titles.
While technically her legal name remains Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, she explained that “Sussex” is often used informally within the family as a shared surname for her, Harry, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
In the end, the International Women’s Day post that sparked the discussion was meant as a simple tribute to her daughter. But, as often happens with the Sussexes, even a small caption was enough to ignite a wider conversation online.
