Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle lied about the time of Archie’s birth

Prince Harry Meghan Markle wedding
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have always done things their way, and it was no different when it came to announcing the birth of their son Archie.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex became parents in May last year and Robert Lacey,  author of Battle of Brothers: William and Harry - The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, has revealed they were slightly misleading when it came to revealing Archie’s birth. 

Robert explains that although Archie was born at 5.26am on 5 May, the palace didn’t make an announcement until 2pm that day - and even that statement suggested Meghan was in labour, when in fact she, Harry and Archie were already at home. 

Harry and Meghan were resolute that their newborn baby's first sight of the world should not be the same insane and lethal camera-flashing that had attended — had actually brought about — the death of Diana,’ Robert writes. 

According to Robert,  Harry’s decision to announce Meghan was in labour angered his brother Prince William

Robert says, ‘On the morning of 6 May [2019], Meghan was duly delivered of her delayed but healthy son, weighing in at 7lbs 3oz. Baby Archie had arrived with the dawn at 5.26 a.m., allowing grandmother Doria Ragland and the happy couple to return to Windsor with their precious cargo undetected.’ 

Although Harry and Meghan’s decision to release the misleading statement was simply to protect their son from the world’s photographers, according to Robert the Duke of Cambridge  ‘did not think too highly of Harry and Meghan’s 'prima donna' manoeuvres to conceal the birth of their son’. 

Jack White
Celebrity Content Director

Jack White is Celebrity Content Director at Future, working across Women's Lifestyle brands such as Woman&Home, Woman, Woman's Own, Women's Weekly and GoodtoKnow. When he's not interviewing your favourite stars or writing about the latest make-up/break up, you'll find Jack searching for new Gemma Collins memes, singing (badly) in the office or binge-watching crime dramas.