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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Chose Harry’s Childhood Nanny, Tiggy Pettifer, As Archie’s Godmother

Harry and Meghan kept Archie's godparents under wraps after his christening.

By Emily Dixon

Jan 20, 2020

The Duke & Duchess Of Sussex Visit South Africa

Pool/Samir HusseinGetty Images

Here's some sweet news to start your Monday: The godparents of baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor have been revealed, and two of them are closely linked to Prince Harry's childhood. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't name Archie's godparents after his christening in July 2019, though Harry's friend Charlie van Straubenzee was subsequently revealed as one; an Instagram post marking the occasion read simply, "Their Royal Highnesses feel fortunate to have enjoyed this day with family and the godparents of Archie." But according to the Sunday Times, the couple also selected Harry and William's beloved childhood nanny, Tiggy Pettifer (née Legge-Bourke), and Mark Dyer, Prince Charles' former equerry (or royal assistant) and a childhood mentor to the princes.

As the Independent reports, Pettifer played a vital role in William and Harry's childhood, becoming their nanny in 1993 following the separation of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. She once called the princes "my babies," according to the newspaper, and was an essential source of support after Diana's death.

View this post on Instagram

This morning, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was christened in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle at an intimate service officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are so happy to share the joy of this day with members of the public who have been incredibly supportive since the birth of their son. They thank you for your kindness in welcoming their first born and celebrating this special moment. Their Royal Highnesses feel fortunate to have enjoyed this day with family and the godparents of Archie. Their son, Archie, was baptised wearing the handmade replica of the royal christening gown which has been worn by royal infants for the last 11 years. The original Royal Christening Robe, made of fine Honiton lace lined with white satin, was commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 and first worn by her eldest daughter. It was subsequently worn for generations of Royal christenings, including The Queen, her children and her grandchildren until 2004, when The Queen commissioned this handmade replica, in order for the fragile historic outfit to be preserved, and for the tradition to continue. Photo credit: Chris Allerton ©️SussexRoyal

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jul 6, 2019 at 8:14am PDT

Similarly, Dyer became a mentor to William and Harry after the loss of their mother. An equerry to Charles in the '90s, he's also a trustee of children's charity Sentebale, founded by Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, which supports "the most vulnerable children in Lesotho, Botswana, and Malawi."

At a London dinner for supporters of the charity on Sunday, Harry gave an emotional speech, addressing the Sussexes' big royal announcement. "The decision I have made for my wife and I to step back is not one I made lightly. It was so many months of talks after so many years of challenges and I know I haven’t always gotten it right but as far as this goes there really was no other option," he said. "What I want to make clear is, we’re not walking away."

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