Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the proud parents of two adorable children who have recently been granted the right to hold royal titles, specifically that of a prince and a princess.
They welcomed their first child, Archie, while they were still actively involved in royal duties. The little one was born at The Portland Hospital in London on May 6, 2019. However, even prior to his arrival in the world, Archie became the center of a controversy. His parents, during an interview with Oprah, revealed that a senior member of the royal family had questioned his skin color.
When Archie was born, Harry wasn’t overly eager to disclose details about the birth. But he was compelled to share with the public that Archie had entered the world due to a breach of the “unwritten contract between the royals and the public.”
Harry and Meghan posed with him in front of The Portland Hospital in London, where he was born, following the traditional practice.
“Today The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pleased to share their first public moment as a family,” the Sussexes stated.
Although both Prince Harry and Prince William, along with many other members of the royal family, including William’s children, were born at St Mary’s Hospital, the Sussexes opted not to have Archie at that location.
“He and Meghan were overjoyed to have their son safely delivered in London’s private Portland hospital even before the palace press office had confirmed the duchess was in labor,” it was noted.
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In her book The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, author Katie Nicholl described Harry as being “almost obsessively determined” to keep Archie’s birth as confidential as possible.
“Behind the scenes, things were so tense that more than one official – as I know from personal experience – was brought to tears of frustration and despair,” added Rebecca English, the royal editor of the Daily Mail.
Two days after Archie’s birth, Meghan agreed to a photo session with a single reporter who was allowed to ask her some questions.
Historian and royal expert Robert Lacey accused the royal family of ‘deception’ and of maintaining a “falsehood” regarding the birth of the young boy.
“There was the deception over the announcement of Archie’s birth, which, unlike every other modern royal birth, took place in complete secrecy. Buckingham Palace announced at 2 pm on May 6, 2019, that Meghan had gone into labor that morning – when in fact, she had safely given birth to baby Archie eight hours earlier, at 5.26 am,” Lacey said, as reported by OK!.
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Another tradition the Duke and the Duchess broke was that they didn’t disclose Archie’s godparents when he was born and kept it hidden for a while.
“It is still expected by the monarch, the palace, and just about anyone with an interest in the matter that the world should be informed about who the new royal baby’s ‘sponsors’ are,” Lacey said. “How can you assess the suitability of a sponsor who remains unknown? Yet the names of Archie’s godparents are still a mystery today.”
Eventually, it became known that Harry’s childhood nanny, Tiggy Pettifer, was appointed Archie’s godmother, and his close friend, Mark Dyer, became godfather.
“They were both significant figures in Harry’s childhood and beyond,” a source told E! News after the report was made public. “They are interesting choices of individuals in Harry’s life, and he likely hoped they might help keep Archie connected to the UK in some way as they relocated to North America.”
Now, with the family residing in the United States, they don’t have to worry as much about cameras or paparazzi photographers, nor are they obligated to post photos of their children on their birthdays, as is the norm in the royal family.
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Later, when Archie grew a bit older, Harry and Meghan took a trip to South Africa where they met Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “Thank you Archbishop Tutu for your extremely warm hospitality, Archie loved meeting you!” they wrote on Instagram along with a series of photos of their son.
Apart from that, they have made an effort to keep both of their children out of the public eye as much as possible.
However, that changed when the six-episode Netflix documentary about Harry and Meghan was released.
In the documentary series, Meghan explained her anxiety about what might occur on the day her baby boy was born.
“There was already the pressure of the photo on the steps. … But I had been really concerned going into that labor because I’m older, I didn’t know if I’d have to have a cesarean section, and I had a long-established relationship with my doctor, and that’s who I trusted with my pregnancy,” she said.
On Sunday, June 6, 2021, the Sussexes welcomed their baby daughter, Lilibet Diana. The couple was eager to honor Lili’s great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet, and her grandmother, Princess Diana.
However, experts claimed at the time that the Queen was not pleased with the name choice.
Furthermore, they asserted that choosing that name was “disrespectful.”
“Even naming this child led to a diplomatic kerfuffle. Despite not wanting to think about the admittedly complex rules of protocol surrounding the British royal family, Meghan and Harry named her Lilibet, apparently believing it would be a wonderful surprise for her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth,” royal expert Tom Quinn wrote in his book Gilded Youth An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family.
“That Harry lacked the foresight to predict that this would cause trouble is astonishing. He surely should have known that using the monarch’s beloved childhood nickname would be seen by many as disrespectful and intrusive in a way that naming their daughter Elizabeth would not have been.”
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“The Queen may well have been upset that her grandson and his family claimed the intimate nickname that had always been a significant part of her private life, but it’s perhaps more likely that the attendants around the monarch and some of the more traditional older royals were annoyed by what they perceived as a presumption.”
Before Lili was born, Meghan became pregnant in 2020, but she had a miscarriage.
At one point, Meghan opened up about the heartbreak she and Prince Harry endured after losing the baby.
She shared a poignant essay on grief after miscarriage written for The New York Times, The Losses We Share, which deeply affected many.
“losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but seldom discussed,” the 39-year-old Duchess explained.
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“I felt a sudden, sharp cramp. I sank to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a jarring contrast to my sense that something was amiss.
The Duchess continued, “I knew, as I held my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.
“Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, clutching my husband’s hand. I felt the dampness of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal.”
Even today, when the anniversary of her miscarriage approaches, Meghan still feels that pain.
“She feels extremely fortunate to have Archie and Lili and the family she and Harry have built. But naturally, as the anniversary of her miscarriage nears, she does experience a sense of sadness. The date is very meaningful and emotional for her,” a person close to her told OK!.
“But Meghan is always focused on the future and is truly grateful for the happiness she has in her life with Harry and the kids.”
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She wants her children to understand that “moms work too.” At the same time, “Her family life will always be her top priority. She’ll arrange her work around the children’s schedules so that she can be there for them when they need her, and she just wants to fully enjoy and cherish every moment with them as they grow up,” the source elaborated.
Meghan doesn’t want to be separated from her children for an extended period, and this is one of the reasons why she and Harry decided that they would take their children with them when traveling abroad in the future.
“Meghan dislikes being apart from her children because she doesn’t want to miss any part of their rapid growth,” a source told OK!.
“With Lili turning three, it has really made Meghan and Harry consider their future and how quickly the children are growing up. Meghan especially feels that her babies are no longer infants, and like most mothers, it makes her a bit sad and nostalgic that the baby years have come to an end.”
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