Meghan Markle blames palace after first names erased from Archie’s birth certificate

Meghan Markle has released an extraordinary rare statement after reports she removed her first names from Archie’s birth certificate.

Meghan Markle has given a rare and blunt response to reports she erased her first names from Archie’s birth certificate.

Reports emerged yesterday Prince Harry and Meghan had secretly removed her birth names “Rachel Meghan” on birth papers in 2019, leaving just “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex”.

But the Duchess has swiftly hit back and said the Palace initiated the change in a statement provided to Page Six, with a spokesperson for Meghan saying: “The change of name on public documents in 2019 was dictated by The Palace, as confirmed by documents from senior Palace officials. This was not requested by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex nor by The Duke of Sussex.”

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The typed section in this extract from Archie's birth certificate confirms that Meghan has taken the unprecedented action of removing her first names

The change was made on June 5 amid rumours of a growing rift between Harry, his brother Prince William and their wives Meghan and Kate Middleton.

Days later, the Sussexes walked away from the Fab Four’s joint charity.

They quit as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, and now live in Montecito, California.

British media initially reported the unprecedented move to remove her first names could have been seen as a snub to the Cambridges, who included Kate’s names on her children’s certificates.

It was also assumed Harry could have been aligning his wife with mum Princess Diana, who always used “Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales”.

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Harry, Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, pose for a photo with their newborn baby son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, in May 2019. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/AFP

Archie was born on May 6, 2019, and his birth was registered on May 17.

The Queen’s ex-press secretary Dickie Arbiter said: “Maybe this was an early part of their plan.”

Lady Colin Campbell, who spotted the amendment, said: “It is extraordinary and raises all kinds of questions about what the Sussexes were thinking.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly removed the duchess’ first names from Archie’s birth certificates. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP

Expert Ingrid Seward said: “For a royal to change a birth certificate is unprecedented but to remove forenames is remarkable.

“Perhaps this is another sign they were desperate to do something different to the Cambridges.”

This article originally appeared The Sun and has been republished with permission