Son of the Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom! Baby Archie’s birth certificate reveals he was born at private Portland Hospital after overdue Meghan’s home birth dream was dashed
- Meghan was titled ‘Rachel Meghan Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex’
- She listed her occupation as ‘Princess of the United Kingdom’ on certificate
- Birth certificate confirmed the place of birth as the Portland Hospital in London
- Ended speculation that Meghan had home birth at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor
- Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is seventh in line and was born on May 6
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor at St George’s Hall in Windsor on May 8
The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to her first child Archie at the private Portland Hospital in Westminster, her son’s birth certificate revealed this afternoon.
Meghan, who gave her name as ‘Rachel Meghan Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex’, listed her job as ‘Princess of the United Kingdom’ – the same as Kate has done previously – as her son’s birth was registered by her husband the Duke of Sussex today.
Meghan’s official title is the Duchess of Sussex, but when she married Harry, she technically became ‘Her Royal Highness, Princess Harry of Wales’ – which is why she is a ‘princess’ on the document.
Archie’s birth certificate confirmed the place of birth as the Portland Hospital and dismissed speculation that Meghan, who married Harry a year ago on Sunday, had a home birth in the sanctuary of Frogmore Cottage – the Sussexes’ home on the Windsor Estate.
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the seventh in line to the throne and an eighth great-grandchild for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at 5.26am on May 6, weighing 7lb 3oz.
Until now, the duke and duchess have been trying to keep the birth location private and details of their medical staff a secret. But the certificate from the City of Westminster register office revealed some key details.
It confirms Archie is the baby’s full name – rather than being short for something else such as Archibald – and that Meghan’s first name is Rachel. Meanwhile, it reveals the birth was registered today, 11 days after Archie was born.
The certificate was typed out in the same style as that of Prince Louis in April 2018, after the documents for Princess Charlotte and Prince George were handwritten, which led to many people making fun of the poor handwriting of the registrar.
The birth certificate of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, son of Prince Harry and Meghan
Meghan originally wanted a home birth, but being more than a week overdue she was forced to give birth in hospital – The Portland in central London, where an exclusive suite is pictured
Harry announced to the world his wife had given birth to a boy and could not hide his happiness at becoming a father for the first time, to a baby he said was ‘absolutely to-die-for’.
The duke was at his wife’s side during the birth and he later confessed he had only had a few hours’ sleep, suggesting Meghan had spent much of the night in labour.
Archie is believed to be the first mixed-race child born to a senior member of the royal family in centuries, and is a reflection of modern Britain with its culturally diverse population.
His birth came less than a year after Harry married American former actress Meghan in a glittering ceremony in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Harry announced the birth of his and Meghan’s son outside Frogmore in Windsor. The royal couple are pictured during their tour of Australia on October 17 last year
Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, became engaged following a whirlwind 16-month romance after going on a blind date in London.
The protective parents want to ensure their son grows up away from the limelight.
Harry, who knows only too well the pressure that comes with being a Windsor and once admitted he ‘wanted out’ of the royal family, is set on allowing his son to have as normal a life as possible.
Royal protection officers will always be close by, while help from housekeepers and aides will be the norm, but Harry and Meghan will be hands-on parents.
The royal baby, who was not given a courtesy title, met his uncle and aunt, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, for the first time on Tuesday, having already spent time with his maternal grandmother Doria Ragland and his royal great grandparents, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
At The Portland, babies are treated to £3,500 Moses baskets designed by luxury furniture brand Dragons of Walton Street
New parents are offered a meal to celebrate the safe delivery of their child, with a menu that boasts lobster, oysters, foie gras, champagne and afternoon tea options (pictured)
Luxury private hospital the Portland offers new parents a ‘celebration meal’ complete with champagne, lobster and foie gras.
Meghan is pictured at King’s College London on March 8, two months before she gave birth
Meghan was thought to have wanted a home birth after rejecting a stay at the Lindo Wing in London’s Paddington where the Duchess of Cambridge famously posed with her three newborns.
But more than a week overdue, she was forced to have Archie in hospital – and the birth certificate revealed today that this was the Portland in central London.
The Portland’s childbirth packages start from £15,000 and run up to £20,000.
Other famous mothers who have had their babies there include Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley and Jools Oliver.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York also gave birth to Princess Eugenie and Beatrice at the private hospital.
Staff offer 24-hour room service in their lavish labour suites, which come complete with Molton Brown toiletries and four-poster cots.
New parents are offered a meal to celebrate the safe delivery of their child, with a menu that boasts lobster, oysters, foie gras, champagne and afternoon tea options – all served on silver platters.
The Portland’s childbirth packages start from £15,000 and can cost up to £20,000
Extended stays at The Portland in central London can rack up bills of £1,800 a night
Extended stays The Portland can rack up bills of £1,800 a night, a far cry from Frimley Park NHS Hospital in Surrey where Meghan and Harry had also been rumoured to have gone if her hopes of a home birth were dashed.
While Frimley Park was rated good, with some outstanding aspects, by the Care Quality Commission, it can’t compete with the luxury ‘goodie bags’ new mothers are handed when they leave The Portland.
These include an invitation to a professional mother and baby photoshoot, more champagne and luxury toys.
There are reported to be 50 full-time midwives and nursery nurses on duty at all times, happy to change nappies and ‘check in’ on newborns while their parents try to get some sleep.
Meghan was supported in the delivery room by her husband Prince Harry and her mother Doria Ragland (far left, pictured together at Kensington Palace on September 20 last year)
Babies are treated to £3,500 Moses baskets designed by luxury furniture brand Dragons of Walton Street, as well as a £14,000 four-poster Little Duchess cot.
It is understood Meghan’s mother Doria went with Harry and her daughter to the hospital overnight.
Within hours of becoming new parents the three returned to the couple’s new home at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.
Prince Harry, 34, then announced the birth in a beaming address in Windsor.
The happy couple later returned home to Frogmore Cottage (above) in Windsor, Berkshire
He said: ‘I’m very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy earlier this morning, a very healthy boy.
‘Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined.
‘How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension, but we’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful to all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing, so we just wanted to share this with everybody.’
Asked if they had any names yet, he said: ‘Still thinking about names. The baby is a little bit overdue, so we’ve had a little bit of time to think about it.
The birth of Prince George in July 2013 was announced by this birth certificate in Westminster
The birth of William and Kate’s second child Princess Elizabeth was announced in May 2015
The birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child Prince Louis was in April 2018
‘That’s the next bit, but for us I think we will be seeing you guys in probably two days’ time as planned as a family to be able to share it with you guys and so everyone can see the baby.’
Asked what it was like to be present for the birth, he laughed and said: ‘I haven’t been at many births.
‘This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I’m so incredibly proud of my wife.
‘As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I’m just over the moon.’
Source: Read Full Article