(2019-)

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on May 6, 2019. He is the first child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. At birth, he became seventh in the line of succession for the British crown. He will be known as Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, as his parents chose not to give him a title. Mountbatten-Windsor is the first member of the British royal family to be born to an American mother and the first with African-American ancestry.

When was Archie Mountbatten-Windsor born?

Meghan Markle gave birth to Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on May 6, 2019, at 5:26 a.m. in the United Kingdom. He weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces at birth. Prince Harry was present for the delivery.

Harry personally announced Mountbatten-Windsor's arrival later that day near their home in Windsor, England. Unlike other royals, Markle did not take part in a photo op with her husband and child a few hours after giving birth.

First public appearance

A happy Duke and Duchess appeared with Mountbatten-Windsor on May 8 at Windsor Castle. Markle said of her son, "He has the sweetest temperament. He's really calm."

Getty Images

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on May 8, 2019

Where was Archie Mountbatten-Windsor born?

Mountbatten-Windsor was born at the private Portland Hospital in Westminster.

A surprising name

Mountbatten-Windsor's name of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was shared via Instagram on May 8, 2019, after his first public appearance.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's choice of Archie, which is a diminutive of Archibald, surprised many observers. Names with royal histories — such as Albert, Arthur or Philip — were considered more likely contenders. Spencer, the family name of Harry's mother Princess Diana, was also seen as a possible pick.

Many members of the royal family have multiple middle names — Prince Harry's full name is Henry Charles Albert David — so it is unusual for Mountbatten-Windsor to have just one.

Archie is a popular name in the United Kingdom, having been ranked as the No. 18 choice for boys in 2017 by the U.K. Office for National Statistics. Harrison was ranked at No. 34.

Meanings for the name Archie include "genuine," "bold" and "brave." Harrison, which means "son of Harry," offers a connection to Mountbatten-Windsor's father.

Though the royal family is known as the House of Windsor, the surname Mountbatten-Windsor incorporates Prince Philip's last name of Mountbatten (born Prince Philip of Greece, he became Philip Mountbatten when he was naturalized as a British citizen). Prince Philip disliked the fact that his children wouldn't take his name, so in 1960 Queen Elizabeth II decided that their descendants could use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, though the royal house remained the House of Windsor.

Christening

Mountbatten-Windsor was christened in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle on July 6, 2019. The archbishop of Canterbury baptized the two-month-old boy, who was dressed in the christening gown previously worn by his cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Why isn't Archie Mountbatten-Windsor a prince?

Though Mountbatten-Windsor is the son of a prince, he was not automatically born with the same title due to conditions laid down by King George V in 1917, which were intended to limit the number of princes and princesses in the royal family. As the second son of Prince Charles, Prince Harry does not meet the requirements for passing on his princely status.

In Mountbatten-Windsor's generation, only his first cousin Prince George, as Prince William's firstborn son, was automatically entitled to be a prince. Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the younger children of William and Kate Middleton, received their titles due to Queen Elizabeth II's intervention.

It's possible for the queen to make Mountbatten-Windsor a prince as well, but she would likely only do so at the request of his parents.

Why doesn't Archie Mountbatten-Windsor have a title?

Mountbatten-Windsor has the right to use one of his father’s lesser titles as a courtesy title, so he could have become the Earl of Dumbarton. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted not to use this title, or to have their son known as Lord Archie. Instead, Mountbatten-Windsor will be called Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

It's assumed the Duke and Duchess chose this designation in the hopes of giving their son the opportunity to enjoy a more normal childhood. Prince Harry knows that his cousins Zara Tindall (née Phillips) and Peter Phillips, the children of Prince Charles' sister Princess Anne, were content to grow up without titles.

When Prince Charles becomes king, Mountbatten-Windsor will be the grandson of a monarch, and under present rules could become His Royal Highness Prince Archie. However, this may not happen. Charles could adjust the rules around the designation to avoid having too many titled royals. And Charles' younger brother Prince Edward has two children who did not become Royal Highnesses, despite being the grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II.

As the firstborn son, Mountbatten-Windsor should one day inherit his father's title of Duke of Sussex.

Line of succession

At birth, Mountbatten-Windsor was seventh in the line of succession to the British throne. He is the closest potential inheritor of the British crown without a title.

Mountbatten-Windsor is unlikely to become the British monarch. He falls behind all of Prince William's children. And any future offspring of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, or Prince Louis will supplant Mountbatten-Windsor in the line of succession.

Given this status, Mountbatten-Windsor will likely never become a working royal who makes public appearances on behalf of the crown. Instead, he should be able to choose his own career.

Family heritage

Mountbatten-Windsor is the eighth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and the fourth grandchild of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

Mountbatten-Windsor's mother, Meghan Markle, is a biracial American with a Black mother, Doria Ragland, and a white father, Thomas Markle. Mountbatten-Windsor is the first Anglo-American royal. He is also the first biracial royal in modern times.

Some of Markle's ancestors were kept as slaves in the United States, so Mountbatten-Windsor is descended from both kings and enslaved people.

Does Archie Mountbatten-Windsor hold dual citizenship?

As Prince Harry is a British citizen, Mountbatten-Windsor automatically became a British citizen at birth.

When she became engaged to Harry in 2017, Markle announced that she intended to apply for British citizenship. However, the process takes several years, so at the time of Mountbatten-Windsor's birth Markle was still an American citizen. For an American to pass on citizenship to a child born outside the United States, she must have lived in the United States for at least five years, with two of those years falling after the age of 14. Markle more than meets those requirements, so her son qualified for U.S. citizenship at birth.

However, Mountbatten-Windsor's parents would need to report the birth to an American consulate to obtain proof of citizenship. Without this paperwork, he will not be able to acquire a U.S. passport.

QUICK FACTS

Birth Year: 2019
Birth date: May 6, 2019
Birth City: Westminster
Birth Country: United Kingdom
Gender: Male
Best Known For: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the first child born to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Astrological Sign: Taurus