Following up on the week-long buzz of the Royal Birth for Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the United Kingdom, the name of their firstborn son has finally been revealed. This puts to rest the betting pools that have gone up regarding the Royal Baby moniker. It has been fashion for most of the current British Royalty to simply reuse names of Royals from the past. Refreshingly, His and Her Royal Highness decided to really sell the unique circumstances of their family – British Prince and American working-class actress – by naming their child as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
BBC has it that Prince Harry and Meghan have completely thrown all bets off with their unique double name for their Royal Baby. Archie and Harrison can definitely be excluded from the list of Royal names that bookmakers in the UK may have wagered on. The first name of Archie (or its full form Archibald) may be the only one that has any connection to the history of the British Royal Family: Archibald Douglas was the 6th Earl of Angus and stepfather to King James V during the 16thCentury. Harrison however is a name more commonly heard in the US, though it also translates appropriately as “son of Harry.”
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine which covers British Royalty, notes that the naming of their baby indicates how much Prince Harry and Meghan wanted to do something different. He also concurs on the cross-cultural draw of both names saying, “Archie has a British feel to it, whereas Harrison is more of an American name.” Furthermore, as Archie Harrison is not a Prince and will thus use a surname more, his parents have given his to be “Mountbatten-Windsor,” after his great-grandparents Prince Philip (Mountbatten) and Queen Elizabeth II (Windsor).
The surprises do not stop there. While Archie’s father has the option of giving him one of his lesser noble titles to carry as a courtesy (Earl of Dumbarton), both Harry and Meghan have made it known that they chose not to do so. This is similar to what Anne, Princess Royal (younger sister of Prince Charles) did, having her children use the surname of her (first) husband Mark Phillips. Lastly, as Meghan has not given up her American citizenship, Archie Harrison is a dual US-UK citizen. This however potentially makes his future royal inheritance subject to US tax laws.
While he is merely Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor for now, upon the death of his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of his grandfather Prince Charles as King, he himself will automatically be granted the style of Royal Highness and become Prince Archie. But that will be some time yet.
Image courtesy of Entertainment Tonight
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