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swaddled in a GH Hurt and Son cashmere blanket and cradled in the arms of his father, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-windsor made his grand introduction to the world – just 55 hours after his birth. While royal babies are traditionally presented in front of bland hospital backdrops, the first glimpse of Harry and Meghan’s ‘bundle of joy’ was in St George’s Hall in Windsor Castle where the couple celebrated their wedding.
Describing motherhood as ‘magic’ and saying she had ‘the two best guys in the world’, Meghan couldn’t stop smiling.
The couple revealed their newborn son had slept through the first 24 hours of his life, was calm and had ‘the sweetest temperament’. At this point, their son’s name was still a secret.
‘They wanted to inform the Queen of the name before they announced it officially,’ reveals a family friend. Meghan also took the time to speak with close friends, sharing an emotional first phone call with best friend Jessica Mulroney, who is expected to be a godmother.
The meeting with Her Majesty took place immediately after the photo call at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh. The royal family were also joined by Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland who is staying with the Sussexes. Usually family photos aren’t released to the public until the christening, so this was an unexpected surprise.
Indeed, last week was one surprise after another, so much so it was almost like a movie script. The couple managed to keep the birth a secret for nine hours. While the hospital births of the Cambridge children were well documented, the details of where Meghan gave birth and who delivered baby Archie remained a mystery. Even senior royals are understood to have been kept in the dark regarding the birth, and Meghan had originally hoped to wait three days before a photo call before coming to a compromise.
It is, say sources close to the couple, their way of ‘taking control of the narrative’ and doing things ‘the way they want to’.
‘They want to keep it private for the sake of the medical staff and, they hope, for next time round,’ says a well-placed source.
And, when they did announce the name it wasn’t what anyone expected. Royal watchers had predicted a traditional family name. Instead the new seventh in line to the throne is Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-windsor. An old friend of Meghan’s recalls that Archie was the name of one of Doria’s rescue cats, a favourite of Meghan’s. It also happens to be one of Prince George’s favoured nicknames: he introduced himself to a dog walker as Archie earlier this year.
Back at Frogmore Cottage the new family, who were described by one Palace source as ‘relaxed and so happy’, are under the watchful eye of Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland who Grazia understands plans to stay in the UK for several weeks to help out. Meanwhile, Thomas, Meghan’s estranged father, sent a message of congratulations, saying, ‘I am proud that my new grandson is born into the British royal family and I am sure that he will grow up to serve the crown and the people of Britain with grace, dignity, and honour.’
Harry, who is taking the shortest paternity leave in royal history, was back to work on Thursday to launch the countdown to the Invictus Games 2020 in the Hague.
It is expected that Meghan will follow suit and return to work in October once they have appointed a nanny. Right now she is bonding with her son and has prepared for an influx of (VIP) visitors, having extended invitations to some of her friends before senior royals, an unorthodox move. Prince Charles and Camilla were expected to visit as soon as they returned home from an official trip to Germany while the Cambridges were said to be ‘itching’ to meet their new nephew.
Meghan’s best friend and unofficial stylist Jessica Mulroney is expected to be one of the couple’s first friends to visit and sources say Meghan has stocked up on her favourite Fortnum and Mason Royal Blend Tea.
‘They have a scaled-down entourage at Frogmore,’ says a source. ‘They don’t yet have a nanny or a team of staff and there’s no chef. Doria has been helping out, she has been indispensable. It’s been a very happy and special week for them all.’