Before the arrival of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, his parents – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle – had some important decisions to make about what kind of childhood their son would have. Would they keep him out of the spotlight and allow him to grow up away from the cameras? Would their son have a courtesy title?
When they introduced their son to the world just two days after he was born, Harry and Meghan made their choices clear. Baby Archie Harrison had a regular name just like everyone else without a title. And, their short three-minute appearance at Windsor away from the palace proved that Archie would grow up in private.
Privacy is important to Harry andMeghan
There is no doubt that the public fascination with Harry’s mother – the late Princess Diana – led to her death, as she died in Paris being chased by paparazzi. This greatly affected Harry and his feelings toward the media, and the online racist trolling of his wife on royal social media accounts hasn’t helped.
According to Marie Claire, they also have very strict rules for the friends – talk to the press, and you are no longer in their inner circle.
“Theyboth expect a code of silence,” says an insider. “Harry didn’t used to carethat much about what was written. But he’s very protective of Meghan anddefensive these days.”
Nowthat they are parents, they both want Archie to have a peaceful upbringing awayfrom the limelight, and they are going to great lengths to make that happen.Before Meghan gave birth, the couple moved out of Kensington Palace and intoFrogmore Cottage in Windsor, they are now planting more trees on the propertyto keep their son out of public view, and they didn’t publish Archie’s birthcertificate.
ArchieHarrison has no title, for now
Archieis not a prince because of British law, but that will change in the future.Royal title rules dictate that only children and grandchildren of the Britishmonarch receive the title of prince and princess. But, in 2012, Queen Elizabethissued the new Letters Patent, which automatically gave William and Kate’schildren (the Queen’s great-grandchildren) the title, but it did not addressHarry and Meghan’s progeny.
This means that when Prince Charles becomes King, Archie will automatically become a prince since he will be the grandchild of the reigning monarch. His official title would be His Royal Highness Archie of Sussex, but he doesn’t have to use it.
Becausethey want their son to be a private citizen, Harry and Meghan also passed ongiving their son a courtesy title so he will not be the Earl of Dumbarton orLord Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, even though he could have thosetitles because he is the son of a Duke.
Thedrawbacks of royal childhood
The obsession with the royal family can cause serious problems for children who grow up in the royal sphere, and this is a reality that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson – know very well.
TheBritish tabloids were relentless in their coverage of the young princessesgrowing up, and it took its toll.
“I don’t believe that there are many things in life that can make you feel more vulnerable, more helpless, more alone, than being bullied… Growing up in the public eye means that every embarrassing, slightly awkward growth spurt or hilarious fashion moment are published around the world,” Beatrice said last year during a youth charity event.
No titles, no problem
Onthe flip side, there is Peter and Zara Phillips, the children of Princess Anne,who grew up without titles. They didn’t face the same challenges that theircousins did because they grew up away from the monarchy as well as the media.
Since Archie Harrison is seventh in line to the throne and will likely never be King, Harry and Meghan can shield him from the public eye, unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton, who are raising an heir to the throne.
“AsArchie is not an HRH, Harry feels he has every right to strictly police hisson’s privacy,” says an insider.
Asa result of Harry and Meghan’s quest for privacy, fans will probably get veryfew glimpses of Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor until he can makethose choices for himself.
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