The new-born royal baby boy of Sussex and the first child of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry has got a name. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the official full name of the first son of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. They are continuing to balance innovation with traditions. (Check: Lucifer.)
Just hours after his birth, the name of Harry and Meghan’s new son was revealed on their official Instagram account. There are no specifically mentioned certain rules to follow while naming, but the British royal family likes to honor those who came before them. There were many bets and much speculations around the name.
All of them got busted as the parents to the new-borne baby came up with a unique name. They chose a name of their choice, and not a traditional one. It seems that they are reflecting the generation-gap. They appear to be looking to now, instead of looking into the history.
As per a royal source, the couple chose the name because they liked the name – Archie, and selected Harrison as it means the son of Harry. They went with a shortened name, Archie, so as to go in step with the wider British public. It’s the 18th most popular name in England and Wales.
Meanwhile, Harrison stands at #34 in the list of most popular names as per the Office for National Statistic (ONS) 2017 release. Archie Harrison seems not to have any precedent in the royal family.
However, once there was Archibald Douglas, the 6th Earl of Angus – Scotland’s King James IV’s stepfather until Margaret Tudor, the elder sister of England’s Henry VIII, divorced him in the 16th century.
Other than this, digging back to 1066, there was no mention of the name Archie or Harrison among the names of any British monarch and their immediate offspring. For this query, the data from Britannica Academic and the monarchy’s official website were used.
Without title
Archie Harrison comes at number seven in the line to the throne. However, he doesn’t qualify immediately for the title of prince. As per the Buckingham Palace’s statement, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen not to use any title for their son. But, he will still have the right to use his father’s second peerage title, Earl of Dumbarton.
However, it looks like his parents won’t be using it too. When and if Prince Charles becomes King, Prince Harry’s son Archie will automatically become His Royal Highness Prince Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
It’s not the first time when someone from the royal family has chosen to decline to bestow titles. Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter did the same with her daughters Mia Grace and Lena Elizabeth.
It’s not the first trailblazing moment for the new royal couple. Harry and Meghan seem to be making surprise statement at every turn, following their wedding ceremony in May 2018.
The outspoken American divorcée walked unescorted part of the way down the aisle followed by her 10 bridesmaids and page boys. The couple then listened to a stirring address by Bishop Michael Curry, the first African-American head of the Episcopal Church in the United States.
Curry’s speech was very full of emotions. After that, there was a performance of the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me” by The Kingdom Choir, a group of 20 gospel singers.
The royal baby being a boy was also announced by the couple on their official Instagram page. It was notified hours before the ceremonial easel at the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in London.
The bulletin read that Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family were “delighted at the news that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son.”
