Prince Archie of Sussex: All About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Son

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child, Prince Archie of Sussex, was born in May 2019

As the elder child of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Prince Archie has been in the spotlight since before he was born.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were expecting a baby in October 2018 as they arrived in Australia for their first official tour as newlyweds. The following May, the couple welcomed Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, now Prince Archie of Sussex, in London.

When Archie was 8 months old, his parents announced their plans to step back from their royal roles, and the family moved from the U.K. to California. Since then, the family has settled into life on the West Coast, where Archie and his younger sister, Princess Lilibet, are growing up largely outside the public eye.

However, the family's life in California hasn't stopped Harry and Meghan from sharing the occasional anecdote about their young children. In 2022, Prince Harry told Today's Hoda Kotb that Archie had inherited some of his cheekiness — and loved to interrupt Zoom calls.

"Archie spends more time interrupting our Zoom calls than anybody else," he said of then-2-year-old Archie. "But he often gets us off them, as well, so that's also a nice thing."

Related: Meghan Markle Has Taken a 'Much Softer Approach' to Prince Harry's Family: She 'Wants to Focus on Their Kids'

These days, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are focused on their children. A California source told PEOPLE in August 2023 Meghan "just wants to focus on their kids and their life in Montecito," adding that the couple "are very united when it comes to family values and how to raise their kids."

"They are both great parents," the source continued. "Their kids are their world."

From the meaning of his name to how his parents keep him connected to his late grandmother Princess Diana, here's everything to know about Prince Archie of Sussex.

Archie was born on May 6, 2019

Prince Harry and Meghan welcomed their first child on May 6, 2019. He was born in the U.K., and the couple announced Archie's birth on Instagram the same day.

“We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019,” their team wrote. “Their Royal Highnesses’ son weighs 7lbs. 3oz.”

The statement continued: “The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives.”

Unlike other royal family members, Prince Harry and Meghan did not take photos with newborn Archie outside the hospital. The pair later formally introduced Archie in a photo call and in a picture released on Instagram alongside his maternal grandmother, Doria Ragland, his great-grandmother the late Queen Elizabeth and his great-grandfather the late Prince Philip.

His name is very popular in the U.K.

After Harry and Meghan announced the name of their son, Archie became one of the most popular baby names in the U.K. In 2020, Archie ranked in the top 10 most popular baby boy names for the first time.

But Archie was almost given a different moniker — one that became his middle name instead. During a children’s book reading at the 2022 Invictus Games, Meghan spoke to another parent whose son was named Harrison.

“[Meghan] was like, 'Harrison, that's Archie's middle name,' and [my wife] was like, 'Yeah, I know,’ ” athlete and RAF nursing officer Sherry McBain recalled to PA. “They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn't decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name.”

Archie's first name also helped inspire his parents to name their foundation Archewell. After launching the organization, the pair explained: “Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche' — the Greek word meaning 'source of action.' We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”

Archie stays connected to his late grandmother Princess Diana

Though Archie's paternal grandmother, Princess Diana, died over two decades before he was born, Prince Harry and Meghan have found ways to keep her legacy part of their children's lives.

In their 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the couple pointed out a framed photo of Diana hanging in Archie’s bedroom. As Meghan and Archie looked at the photo, Archie reached out to touch the portrait while Meghan asked, “Who’s that?” before continuing, “Hi, Grandma. That’s Grandma Diana.”

Prince Harry had previously mentioned the photo in Archie’s room in the series The Me You Can’t See. “I got a photo of her in his nursery, and it was one of the first words that he said — apart from 'mama,' 'papa,' it was then 'grandma.' Grandma Diana,” Harry said. “It's the sweetest thing, but at the same time, it makes me really sad because she should be here.”

He started using a royal title after his grandfather King Charles acceded to the throne

Since Archie was a great-grandchild of the sitting monarch at the time of his birth, he did not receive a royal title. However, under the rules established by King George V in the 1917 Letters Patent, both Archie and his younger sister were eligible to receive prince and princess titles after their grandfather, King Charles, acceded to the throne.

While there had been behind-the-scenes arguments regarding Archie and Lilibet's titles following the death of Queen Elizabeth, in March 2023, the palace updated the royal family's official website to reflect Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's titles.

Related: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's Titles Updated on Royal Family's Website

A spokesperson for the palace explained that the timing was on purpose. “The children's titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch,” the spokesperson said. “This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”

In February 2024, Archie and Lilibet's names were updated again after their parents adopted Sussex as their family surname. Archie's official name is now Prince Archie of Sussex.

Archie turned 4 on King Charles’ coronation day

May 6, 2023, was a big day for the royal family for two reasons: It was the day of King Charles' coronation and Archie’s 4th birthday.

Prince Harry managed to be in the U.K. for his father’s coronation ceremony and quickly flew back to California to celebrate his son. As a source told PEOPLE ahead of the big day: “It's going to be a low-key party at home. They'll have friends around them and Meghan's mom, Doria. Meghan will definitely have support that weekend.”

Related: How Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Have Celebrated Prince Archie's Birthday Through the Years

The source added that Lilibet would join the festivities. “They are so sweet together,” they said. “Archie loves Lili. He's such a sweet boy. When she's not around, he asks, 'Where's Lili?' ”

He has a lot of ideas about what he will be when he grows up

Harry has described his older child as chatty, and at the 2022 Invictus Games opening ceremony, he shared that Archie was already thinking about what kind of job he would have as an adult.

“When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it's an astronaut, other days it's a pilot — a helicopter pilot obviously — or Kwazii from Octonauts,” he said. “If you're laughing, then you've seen that.”

Harry added that he hopes his son and daughter are good people, whatever their professions might be. He said: “But what I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it's your character that matters most, and nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today.”

He is very energetic

Archie is known for having a lot of energy, something that both of his parents have noted.

While attending a private garden party alongside Ed Sheeran in July 2021, Harry shared that, at the time, Lilibet was calm while Archie zoomed around their home. “We've been lucky so far,” Harry said. “She's very chilled and seems happy to just sit there while Archie is running around like crazy.”

In October 2022, Harry gave an update on both of his kids while speaking to WellChild Awards recipients, saying, "Archie is very, very busy. And Lili is learning to use her voice, which is great.”

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