Ahead of his birth, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were contemplating Archie Harrison‘s name.
While attending a reading session for children at the Invictus Games The Hague this past weekend, Meghan struck up a conversation with a parent who had brought a son named Harrison to the event.
Sherry McBain, a nursing officer in the RAF competing in the Invictus Games, shared with PA how her wife Mandy spoke with Meghan at the event when they realized the commonality in their children’s names.
“[Meghan] was like ‘Harrison, that’s Archie’s middle name’, and Mandy was like ‘Yeah, I know,’ ” said McBain.
“They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn’t decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name.”
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Meghan, 40, and Prince Harry, 37, welcomed Archie in May 2019, just one year following their royal wedding. The name choices surprised most, as British oddsmakers’ top picks for potential names included more traditional monikers, like Arthur, James, Philip and Albert.
Archie is a shortened version of the name Archibald, which is defined as genuine and bold or brave. Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll of Scotland was also an ancestor of Princess Diana’s.
And Archie’s middle name, Harrison, originated in the Middle Ages as a patronymic meaning “son of Henry” or “son of Harry.”
The couple later announced they were naming their foundation Archewell, explaining, “Before SussexRoyal came the idea of ‘arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action.’ We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name. To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also decided on a heartfelt name for their daughter Lilibet Diana, born in June 2021.
Lilibet was a family nickname for Queen Elizabeth, while her middle name is after Harry’s late mother Princess Diana. The proud parents reveal that they plan to call their daughter “Lili.”
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