Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby son’s name revealed
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle showed off their adorable newborn and shared his unusual name after introducing him to the Queen.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed the name of their newborn baby son: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
They announced the two-day-old’s name on Instagram after introducing him to the Queen, along with an intimate photo of the monarch meeting her eighth great-grandchild at Windsor Castle.
Prince Philip and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland were also present for the beautiful royal family photo.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to announce that they have named their son Archie Harrison,” said Buckingham Palace in a statement. “The baby will be known as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Queen wore a blue cardigan for the occasion, while Buckingham Palace also shared the news of Baby Sussex’s name — which has been the subject of much speculation — on Twitter.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were introduced to the newborn son of The Duke & Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle. Ms Doria Ragland was also present. The Duke & Duchess of Sussex are delighted to announce that they have named their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. pic.twitter.com/PaHVhPlUl5
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 8, 2019
Prince Charles and Camilla said they were looking forward to meeting the baby when they returned from their royal visit to Germany, while a “thrilled” Prince William and Kate also said they were eager to meet little Archie.
The choice of name is already the subject of great debate online, with some social media users loving the non-traditional selection, and others questioning why the couple plumped for Archie over Archibald.
The name means “genuine”, “bold” and “brave”, and is German in origin.
Others speculated on the selection of the middle name Harrison, which may derive from “son of Harry”, whose real name is Henry. It is of English origin, with famous Harrisons including Star Wars actor Harrison Ford — perhaps evidence of Meghan’s LA acting background.
The name is a far cry from some of the traditional ones predicted, with the progressive royal couple again showing they are happy to modernise.
The baby was not named a HRH, even though the Queen could have tweaked the rules, as she did for Kate and William’s children, to make him a prince.
Meghan and Harry have also chosen not to give him an aristocratic title, even though he could have been styled as Lord Mountbatten-Windsor and taken one of Prince Harry’s lesser titles, such as Earl of Dumbarton.
He will simply be known as Master Archie.
Love Archie but I would have gone for the full Archibald if I had been in charge here. Just my two cents
— Rosie Gray (@RosieGray) May 8, 2019
Only reason they haven't gone with Archibald is so they don't upset William.
— Rhys James (@rhysjamesy) May 8, 2019
Archie means true, bold, & valuable.
— TV Fanatic (@Khaleesi_Hodan) May 8, 2019
Harrison means son of Harry.
They basically named the baby, “Son of Harry, the true bold and valuableâ€. pic.twitter.com/NXfNutMkYg
HIS ROYAL CUTENESS: FIRST PHOTOS OF ARCHIE
Earlier, the happy couple released the first photos of their baby son. The new arrival was swaddled in a white shawl and wearing a white hat as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex beamed with joy in a photoshoot at St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle.
Meghan, 37, was dressed in a sleeveless white trench dress and nude heels while Harry, 34, wore a pale grey suit and navy tie for their first official family photo.
The duchess gushed over life after welcoming her little boy, saying: “It’s magic.
“It’s pretty amazing. I have the best two guys in the world, so I’m really happy.”
She said the baby boy, who is just two days old, had the “sweetest temperament”, adding, “he’s the dream”.
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The smitten first-time mum said: “He has the sweetest temperament, he’s really calm.”
Harry joked, “I wonder where he gets that from?” and the pair laughed.
Meghan was praised for looking natural in a belted dress, a bespoke number by British designer Grace Wales Bonner, which she teamed with Manolo Blahnik BB pumps and an understated Jennifer Meyer turquoise necklace.
Baby Archie was swaddled in a white merino wool shawl and cashmere hat by G.H. Hurt & Son, whose blankets have been used for royal babies since Prince Charles was born 70 years ago.
The new parents appeared tired but ecstatic as they cradled the newborn, with giddy, bearded dad Harry joking his son “already has facial hair”.
Asked who the baby takes after, the duchess said: “We’re still trying to figure that out.”
The duke revealed the new parents were already trying to hold on to these “precious” first moments, as they sensed time already quickly slipping by.
“Everyone says that babies change so much over two weeks,” he said. “We’re basically monitoring how the changing process happens over this next month really. But his looks are changing every single day, so who knows.”
He said they were looking forward to spending some “precious times with him as he slowly, slowly starts to grow up.”
The photoshoot — which saw Meghan praised for looking natural in a bespoke belted dress by British designer Grace Wales Bonner — came before the happy couple introduced their baby to his great-grandparents, the Queen and Prince Philip.
The Duke of Edinburgh had an early preview of his eighth great-grandchild, Meghan revealed. “We just bumped into the duke as we were walking by, which was so nice,” she said.
“So it’ll be a nice moment to introduce the baby to more family, and my mum’s with us as well.”
Harry added: “Another great-grandchild.”
Asked how he was finding parenting, the prince said: “It’s great. Parenting is amazing.
“It’s only been two-and-a-half days, three days, but we’re just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy.”
The proud parents welcomed Baby Sussex at London’s Portland Hospital at 5.26am on Monday (local time), but chose to keep most of the details private.
However, after spending some time settling into life as a family of three, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex finally showed off their newborn at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
They later shared more photos on their Sussex Royal Instagram account, saying they were “incredibly grateful” for the “warm wishes and support” they had received from around the world.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to share their first public moment as a family,” the caption read. “They are so incredibly grateful for the warm wishes and support they’ve received from everyone around the world, since welcoming their son two days ago.”
Unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton — and Prince Charles and Princess Diana — Harry and Meghan skipped the traditional post-birth newborn photo-op on the hospital steps after the birth.
The decision irked plenty of royal fans and commentators, who expressed frustration at the secretive nature of the birth.
Prince William on Tuesday jokingly welcomed his brother to “the sleep-deprivation society” of parenthood. Harry seemed far too jubilant to mind, praising his “incredible wife” to cameras at the Windsor estate after the birth a day earlier, dressed casually in a jumper after “two hours’ sleep”.
Looking smarter at the castle before his meeting with his grandparents, the prince was clearly still on top of the world, gazing lovingly at his wife and child as they spoke to the media.
Just one reporter and a photographer from the Press Association, plus two pooled TV cameras, were invited to the photocall on Wednesday afternoon local time.
Harry and Meghan’s office announced last month that while they wished to keep the specifics of the birth private, they would be holding a very small photocall at Windsor a few days after the baby had arrived.
The big debut comes after the new parents spent a “peaceful and emotional” first night with their baby at their home of Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, with Meghan’s mother on hand to help out.
“Harry and Meghan are quietly enjoying private time at Frogmore Cottage with their new son,” royal commentator Omid Scobie shared on Twitter. “I’m told their first night as a family of three was peaceful and emotional.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that Meghan had been hoping to have a home birth, but her plans were scuttled due to the lateness of the baby’s arrival. Instead, she was taken to London’s luxurious Portland Hospital under police escort on Sunday night.
Due to the secretive nature of the process, only a “handful” of people were even aware that the baby’s arrival was imminent.
Less than an hour after it was publicly announced that Meghan was in labour, the statement came through that Prince Harry and his wife were now the proud parents of a son.
“Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs (2.26pm Monday AEST),” Buckingham Palace said in a statement. “The baby weighs 7 lbs 3oz (3.26kg).
“The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth.”
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