After introducing their newborn son to his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed the name they have chosen for their first child. For royal news delivered to your inbox sign up for the Royal Dispatch newsletter In a touching post on the couple’s joint Instagram account Wednesday, Prince Harry and Meghan announced the royal baby’s highly anticipated name: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The announcement was accompanied by a photo showing Prince Harry, the Queen and her husband Prince Philip, and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland admiring the baby as his mother cradles him. The baby’s name was the subject of intense speculation in the days following the boy’s birth on Monday with many expecting the couple to pay tribute to Prince Harry’s late mother Princess Diana by using her maiden name Spencer. Other top contenders included Alexander, Albert, Arthur, and James. CTV News royal commentator Richard Berthelsen said he was a bit surprised by the name. “No one saw this one coming,” he told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. “These [names] are personal selections of interest or of some kind of appeal, or maybe when this child actually appeared in their arms the name Archie sprang into their head.” Berthelsen said there’s no obvious historical significance to the baby’s name. As for the last name Mountbatten-Windsor, Berthelsen said it’s a nod to the baby’s great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, whose last name is Mountbatten. Omid Scobie, a royal commentator covering the story in Windsor, said he thinks the lack of title reflects Prince Harry and Meghan’s modernity as a couple. “Harry and Meghan are very much a 21st century couple in the house of Windsor,” he told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. “They’ve really brought the Royal Family up to date. They’re bringing modernity to the Royal Family that we haven’t seen before. Meghan being American, being half African-American, we now have the first biracial baby in the house of Windsor.” The photo itself is also a break from tradition, according to Berthelsen, who said the public has never seen an image of the Queen with a great-grandchild so soon after the birth. He said the fact that Ragland was included in the photo conveys an important message from the Royal Family. “It’s a very strong statement reminding people that this is a biracial marriage, this is an American-U.K. family that has come in to the Royal Family, it’s a very, very important symbol,” he explained. The news followed an earlier public appearance that day by the duke and duchess and their baby in St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle where they posed for photos together and answered reporters’ questions. Wrapped in a white blanket with a matching cap, the royal baby slept soundly as a beaming Prince Harry and his wife showed their child to the world for the first time. “It’s great,” Prince Harry said. “Parenting is amazing. It’s only been what, two-and-a-half days, three days, but we’re just so thrilled to have our little bundle of joy.” When asked about what the first days of parenthood have been like, Meghan replied: “It’s magic. I have the two best guys in the world so I’m really happy.” The Duchess also said her son had the “sweetest temperament” and is “really calm,” to which her husband joked “I wonder who he gets that from.” The royal baby was born weighing seven pounds, three ounces on Monday morning, after which the Duke and Duchess took a couple of days with their son, out of the public spotlight at their home in Frogmore Cottage, located near Windsor Castle. “He’s just been the dream. It’s been a special couple of days,” Meghan said. As for their son’s looks, the happy couple said they’re still trying to figure out who he resembles. “Everyone says that babies change so much over two weeks, so we’re basically monitoring how the changing process happens over this next month really, but his looks are changing every single day so who knows?” Prince Harry said. The prince did joke, however, that his son was already sporting some facial hair. “[It’s] wonderful,” he said as Meghan giggled beside him. Following Wednesday’s photo call, the couple introduced their son to the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. Meghan also said her mother has been staying with them at their cottage on the castle’s estate. On Tuesday, Prince William said he was “absolutely thrilled” at the news of the birth and said he and his wife Kate were looking forward to meeting the baby in the next few days. “I’m very pleased and glad to welcome my own brother into the sleep deprivation society that is parenting,” he quipped. Prince Charles, too, said he was looking forward to meeting his fourth grandchild when he and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, returned from their official visit to Germany. “We couldn’t be more delighted at the news,” he told well-wishers in Berlin on Tuesday. The baby is the Queen’s eighth great-grandchild and seventh in line to the throne.<doc-sep>Tolga Akmen / AFP/Getty Images Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, aka the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcomed a baby boy on Monday. The baby is the first British royal born to an American parent. Dad Harry said the couple is still thinking about names. "That's the next bit," he said, suggesting a name will be announced in two days. "I'm just over the moon" The Duke of Sussex came outside of Frogmore Cottage to announce the birth of his baby boy with the Duchess of Sussex! He also added that the mother and baby are doing well and that we should see the baby and know the name in 2 days time!#RoyalBaby pic.twitter.com/Fp1yHPXmPD — The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) May 6, 2019 The British Royal Family tends to reuse family first names over and over, so such names as Albert, Arthur, Charles and Philip keep coming up. But this baby is only seventh in line to the throne, so really, there's room for Harry and Meghan to step off the traditional name path, as Princess Anne did in 1981 when she named her daughter Zara. Some would like to see the baby's name include Spencer, to honor the last name of Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana. I want the baby's name to be Spencer. Earl Spencer of Sussex 😭😭 #royalbaby pic.twitter.com/Qq1eSTLrdq — Bye (@Queen_Soul01) May 6, 2019 idc about the royal family but i hope they name the baby spencer and spite the queen lmao — K (@keelyymadison) May 6, 2019 "Spencer" was high on the oddsmakers' lists, too, though not as high as Arthur, Albert and Philip. Meghan Markle's own father's name, Thomas, even made the betting lists despite their frayed relationship. Here's how we've priced up the #RoyalBaby name betting 👑 Arthur - 5/1 Albert - 6/1 Philip - 6/1 James - 8/1 Alexander - 10/1 Alfred - 10/1 Thomas - 12/1 Spencer - 14/1 Charles - 16/1 Edward - 16/1 Henry - 16/1 Richard - 16/1 — Ladbrokes (@Ladbrokes) May 6, 2019 Some observers are rooting for a Yankee Doodle Dandy of a name, just to bring a little star-spangled Americana into the royal family. "Don't care for the royals but I'm praying they give this baby a really American name like Greyson or Tucker or Brad," wrote one Twitter user. Don’t care for the royals but I’m praying they give this baby a really American name like Greyson or Tucker or Brad — Na(like a horse)omi (@naomibourke) May 6, 2019 In homage to her heritage I wonder if Megan & Harry will give the new #RoyalBaby an American name? I'm leaning toward Hank, Ralph or Dwane and at a pinch Billy Joe. — John Short (@JDherts) May 6, 2019 They should give the royal baby a traditional American name and call him ‘Chip’ — Joshua William (@jshwllm) May 6, 2019 Still trying to help the royals name the new baby. Something that blends British tradition with brash American ideals. I like both Allistair McAllister and H. Salt, Esquire. — Cairn (it's really not that hard, please just try) (@CairnRodrigues) May 6, 2019 Convincing people the royal baby has a trashy American name is getting me through the day — DAFT VADER (@ArranDTaylor) May 6, 2019 And of course, some names are just awesome dreams. "They should name the royal baby something badass like Angus Nitro," wrote one Twitter user. They should name the royal baby something badass like Angus Nitro. — Ryan, perdido en TX (@RyanLostinTX) May 6, 2019 Prince Gary 👑 — Mickayla (@MickaylaD_) May 6, 2019 Joffrey — Anthony Degliomini (@DeGz77) May 6, 2019 I’m not one to judge but that’s a terrible name for the #royalbaby pic.twitter.com/LLAEoHncqR — Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) May 6, 2019 According to the radio just now, his name will be "Announced in due course". — Sue Archer (@SueArcher6) May 6, 2019 And a certain departed Tudor king who had problems getting himself a son of his own had something to say, too. "He's royal. He's a ginger. His name is Harry. And his wife gives birth to a boy. There's not enough wine for this," snarked the Henry VIII parody account. He's royal. He's a ginger. His name is Harry. And his wife gives birth to a boy. There's not enough wine for this. Not enough cheese. Not enough shouting. Not enough smashing things. Not enough clutching a tapestry & making incoherent sobbing noises. #royalbaby #courage #wine — Henry Tudor (@KngHnryVIII) May 6, 2019 Good Lord my Liege! She's from the new world! — Clive Conway (@13thDukeofWmbm) May 6, 2019 Chin up your majesty! You tried really hard! — Becca Eller a.k.a Professor F (@the_beccaeller) May 6, 2019 There's room for plenty of names stuffed into the new baby's moniker. Dad Prince Harry has four names (Henry Charles Albert David) and the Queen's uncle, who abdicated the throne in 1936 to marry divorced American Wallis Simpson, had seven names (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David).<doc-sep>Just hours after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealed their newborn son to the world, the child’s name has been announced. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have named their child Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the couple revealed via Instagram. The Queen was told of the child’s name when she met him for the first time today, following Meghan and Harry’s two-minute interview at Windsor Castle. Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mother, and the Duke of Edinburgh were also present during the meeting with the Queen. The couple shared an intimate black and white photo of the party of five, with the Queen smiling at her eighth great-grandchild in Meghan’s arms. Chris Allerton, the photographer who took Harry and Meghan’s wedding party photos, was behind the lens. The seventh-in-line to the throne, who was born at 05:26am on 6 May 2019, hasn’t yet had his title revealed. Not a favourite with bookmakers Yesterday William Hill selected a new favourite name - Spencer at 4/1 - the maiden name of Prince Harry's late mother Princess Diana. Other top picks for the royal baby boy are James and Alexander, both at 5/1. The couple posed with their baby boy for photos at 12pm this afternoon in Windsor Castle, revealing parenthood is “magic” and they’re “still trying to figure out” who their son looks like. A first look at Baby Sussex, before his name was announced, in his father's arms two days after his birth [Photo: PA] Meghan, Harry and their son Archie in Windsor Castle today [Photo: PA] Read more: Who does the royal baby look like Meaning, origin and popularity The name Archie is a boy's name of German origin meaning “truly brave”. According to Baby Centre, Archie was the 15th most popular name for a baby boy born in the UK in 2018. It’s not as popular in the US; it ranks number 737 for popularity in the US in 2019 so far. It’s not a modern name. Archie started out as a short form of Archibald but has been used as an independent name since the 19th century. There aren’t many famous people called Archie, however Archibald Leach was the birth name of English-born Hollywood actor Cary Grant. Story continues Archie Gemmill (born 1947) is a Scottish footballer; the lead character in hit ‘Netflix’ show ‘Riverdale’ is named Archie and comedian Amy Poehler’s son with Will Arnett is also called Archie. The name’s “fun and fresh” says baby name expert SJ Ljungstrom, from ChannelMum.com. “The name both reflects their new family make up but also builds bridges across the world,” she says. An Office of National Statistics graph shows the growing popularity of the name Archie [Photo: ONS] Read more: A brief history of royals debuting their babies around the world “Archie is a wonderful choice as it encapsulates pomp and tradition while having all the cheeky chappie qualities of Harry himself. “Meanwhile Harrison is a noble name which traditionally means 'Son of Harry or Henry’, so there is no moniker which could ever be more appropriate for Harry’s firstborn son. “Harrison also perfectly encapsulates the American and wider Commonwealth trend for using surnames as first names. It’s currently ranked 113 in the US and was made popular by actor Harrison Ford, but expect to see thousands of newborns given the name now it has the Royal seal of approval.”<doc-sep>View this post on Instagram The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pleased to announce they have named their first born child: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor This afternoon Their Royal Highnesses introduced Her Majesty The Queen to her eighth great-grandchild at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Edinburgh and The Duchess’ mother were also present for this special occasion. Photo credit: Chris Allerton ©️SussexRoyal<doc-sep>
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced the name of the royal baby: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. According to Babble and Baby Center, the name Archie has English origins and means "genuine and bold." It's a variant of the name Archibald, although the Sussexes didn't specify if that is his whole name. Royal correspondent Emily Andrews reported that the name also has German origins, and that Harry and Meghan chose names for their son that they liked. Harrison, on the other hand, is a fitting tribute to the baby's father. It literally means "son of Harry." Harry's full name is Henry, though. Finally, Mountbatten-Windsor is the last name used for descendants of Queen Elizabeth II who don't have His/Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess titles. It's a combination of Prince Philip's former last name and the House of Windsor, which began with Queen Victoria and also applies to the current queen's family. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the news of their son's name on Instagram with a sweet photo with the queen, Prince Philip, and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. Royal fans have been speculating about the newborn's possible moniker ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were expecting back in October. Common guesses have included royal names from within the family, like Diana (after Harry's late mother) or Elizabeth (after the Queen, AKA Harry's grandmother) for a girl, or Albert for a boy. Harry and Meghan welcomed their son on Monday, May 6 and hours after the delivery, Harry said they were "still thinking about names." The day after, aunt Kate Middleton said she and Prince William were still looking forward to "finding out what [the baby's] name is going to be." Even when they stepped out with their baby boy earlier this morning at Windsor Castle, the new parents didn't reveal the name yet. It's believed they wanted to tell the queen the news first before sharing the little one's moniker with the rest of the world. According to royal reporters on Twitter, the monarch met with the couple and her great-grandchild after the photo call. During her appearance earlier today, Meghan said of being a mom, "It is magic and it is pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world. And so I am really happy." Harry also shared sweet sentiments about being a first-time parent. "It has only been what, two and a half, three days," he told press. "We are just so thrilled to have our own bundle of joy and to be able to spend some precious time as he slowly starts to grow up." This post has been updated.