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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

California not Sussex

451 replies

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:28

I was born and grew up on the Surrey Sussex border. My brother currently lives in Sussex, my mum spent her retirement in Sussex, my grandparents lived in Sussex their whole lives, I had Saturday and holiday jobs in Sussex, my friends at school lived in Sussex.

I do not like or agree with Ms Markle having the 'Duchess of Sussex' title. She has spent all of 6 hours of her entire life here. She doesn't represent or care about me and the rest of the population of Sussex. She doesn't even like the UK. She will probably never set foot in the UK again, she hates our royal family and our country.

I cant really do much about the title being given to her. But now she wants people to refer to her as 'Meghan Sussex' according to her new netflix show.

Why?????

Why Meghan do you want you and your family to have a surname of a place you have barely ever been to, know nothing about, and which is located in a country you dislike and will never return to?

Can't you call yourself Meghan California instead? You can call yourself anything informally, and if you want to change your name formally, there is probably a way that you and Harry and the kids could adopt 'California' as your new surname.

Why oh why take/steal our home county as your new name. I get the 'duchess of Sussex' title is given to you, but you don't need to use it, and you definitely don't need to call yourself 'Meghan Sussex'.

(Some of) The people of Sussex do not want you to have our name

If you want our name then come visit. Spend time here. Visit the locals, buy OUR jam, invest in OUR schools, donate money to local charities, show interest in the place you have adopted as yours. Visit us regularly. Learn about the culture, the people, the place.

AIBU for thinking Meghan should make the effort to get to know Sussex if she now wants to be called 'Meghan Sussex'? If she doesn't want anything to do with us and will never come here again, she shouldn't call herself 'Meghan Sussex'.

OP posts:
JustBiscoff · 06/03/2025 13:30

YANBU - in agreement with everything you have said.

FrannyScraps · 06/03/2025 13:30

Oh you are funny 😂

floopsycat · 06/03/2025 13:31

Does it really matter? I say yabu.

CostcoBuns · 06/03/2025 13:31

I don't have an opinion on this (or Meghan) but my surname is a UK town that I have never visited. Isn't this just how names evolve?

floopsycat · 06/03/2025 13:32

What is Sussex culture? I'm from there and can't think of many distinguishing features from the rest of the south England counties.

RaspberryScrubs · 06/03/2025 13:32

Yabu to not post in the royals topic

Completelyjo · 06/03/2025 13:32

You sound pretty unhinged really.
No one cares about Sussex, Megan or otherwise.

redgingerbread · 06/03/2025 13:33

floopsycat · 06/03/2025 13:32

What is Sussex culture? I'm from there and can't think of many distinguishing features from the rest of the south England counties.

Burning effigies seems to be popular there

FamiChiki · 06/03/2025 13:33

God yeah, it sounds like a really accepting, tolerant and pleasant place to visit, I'm sure she'll get a second home there soon. Lol

BassesAreBest · 06/03/2025 13:33

I live in Sussex and couldn’t care less. It’s just a name. Not as though our council tax goes to fund them

Regretsmorethanafew · 06/03/2025 13:33

Thing is, it doesn't matter whether you or anyone else doesn't like it approve of it. That's how it works. That's her name.

It's not complicated and it doesn't matter.

Jennifershuffles · 06/03/2025 13:34

Strong whatevs on this from me

BarnacleBeasley · 06/03/2025 13:35

I'm from Sussex and I couldn't give a shit. I do now have 'Sussex by the Sea' in my head though.

Coffeeishot · 06/03/2025 13:35

What the actual 😂

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:36

Regretsmorethanafew · 06/03/2025 13:33

Thing is, it doesn't matter whether you or anyone else doesn't like it approve of it. That's how it works. That's her name.

It's not complicated and it doesn't matter.

It matters to me because I like Sussex! And I like the UK (usually 🙂) and it pisses me off that someone who hates us, who has buggered off and stuck two fingers up the queen and royal traditions, has declared to the world how much the name 'sussex' means to her. I mean, wtf?

OP posts:
FreeloaderWithAnAdBlocker · 06/03/2025 13:36
Angry Comedy Bang Bang GIF

And as for you, Tom York- do you even know that a Fat Rascal is?!

BlumminFreezin · 06/03/2025 13:36

Kind of pales when you compare it to the P&P of Wales though. Now THAT is a piss take.

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:36

BarnacleBeasley · 06/03/2025 13:35

I'm from Sussex and I couldn't give a shit. I do now have 'Sussex by the Sea' in my head though.

🙂🤣🥰⛵🌊🐟

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 06/03/2025 13:37

That's not really how surnames work.
Should all those called Fisher only be allowed to be fisherman?
How on earth did Prince Edward and Sophie manage when they were Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Wessex doesn't even exist anymore.
Edit : technically neither does Sussex. It's East Sussex and West Sussex.

bridgetreilly · 06/03/2025 13:38

This is utter nonsense. Surnames and titles (which is what Sussex is for Meghan) generally derive from extremely ancient connections and aren’t about representing the modern place of the same name. Some of them references places that don’t even exist anymore, like Wessex. If you hate Meghan that much, just move to Surrey, ffs.

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:38

Needmorelego · 06/03/2025 13:37

That's not really how surnames work.
Should all those called Fisher only be allowed to be fisherman?
How on earth did Prince Edward and Sophie manage when they were Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Wessex doesn't even exist anymore.
Edit : technically neither does Sussex. It's East Sussex and West Sussex.

Edited

It's one thing being 'meghan, duchess of Sussex' (and I don't agree she should have that title). But it seems Meghan the feminist doesn't want to keep her Markle surname and instead what's to be Mrs Meghan Sussex. Surely she could call herself anything? And why does she still want the bloody title anyway? She can f right off.

OP posts:
Regretsmorethanafew · 06/03/2025 13:39

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:36

It matters to me because I like Sussex! And I like the UK (usually 🙂) and it pisses me off that someone who hates us, who has buggered off and stuck two fingers up the queen and royal traditions, has declared to the world how much the name 'sussex' means to her. I mean, wtf?

Ok, but it doesn't matter to them. Or hardly anyone else.

They've always used names this way. William Wales, Sophie Wessex, it's just how it is. Who gives a shit?

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:39

bridgetreilly · 06/03/2025 13:38

This is utter nonsense. Surnames and titles (which is what Sussex is for Meghan) generally derive from extremely ancient connections and aren’t about representing the modern place of the same name. Some of them references places that don’t even exist anymore, like Wessex. If you hate Meghan that much, just move to Surrey, ffs.

🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
RhiWrites · 06/03/2025 13:40

CaliforniaNotSussex · 06/03/2025 13:36

It matters to me because I like Sussex! And I like the UK (usually 🙂) and it pisses me off that someone who hates us, who has buggered off and stuck two fingers up the queen and royal traditions, has declared to the world how much the name 'sussex' means to her. I mean, wtf?

She was the target of racial abuse that made her suicidal. She doesn’t hate the UK, the Queen (any Queen) or fucking Sussex. But she was made to feel so unwelcome she couldn’t bear to stay here.

Maybe instead of writing hateful posts and “why oh why oh why” moaning you could write to her and suggest some great Sussex businesses she might like to support. She might actually do it. If you’re nice to her instead of whatever this is.

Hobnobswantshernameback · 06/03/2025 13:40

Some people really do need to get a life

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