Did Meghan and Harry Offend Kate and William By Using the Name Archie?
"Archie" had been Prince George's nickname.
Select the newsletters you’d like to receive. Then, add your email to sign up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Delivered daily
Marie Claire Daily
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Sent weekly on Saturday
Marie Claire Self Checkout
Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.
Once a week
Maire Claire Face Forward
Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.
Once a week
Livingetc
Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.
Delivered Daily
Homes & Gardens
The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.
If you have any baby-having friends, you'll already know that hell hath no fury like a parent who thinks another parent "stole" their baby name. (Remember in Friends when Monica graciously "gave" Rachel her baby name, Emma, as a gift?) Well, along with all the other issues that led to the painful rift between Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's household and Prince William and Kate Middleton's, a new report points out that Kate and Will may have felt snubbed that Meghan and Harry named their son "Archie." The reason? Prince George's nickname had been "Archie"—and this is verified, having been reported well before Archie Harrison was born.
Let's back up a little. When Meghan was pregnant with Archie Harrison, The Sun reported in January of 2019 that Prince George had told a passer-by that his name was Archie. The passer-by told The Sun: “I was asked by a police minder not to take a photo of the children, which I didn’t, but George started stroking my dog. Just to be friendly I engaged in a bit of small talk and I asked George what his name was, even though obviously I knew it. To my astonishment he said ‘I’m called Archie’ with a big smile on his face. I don’t know why he calls himself Archie but kids often play with their names and I think it’s lovely.”
That said, "Archie" was one of several nicknames for Prince George; according to multiple sources, George is also known as "PG Tips" (a British brand of tea), and "Georgie" to his family members; he was also known as "little grape" by his parents until he was born. Still, in May of 2019, five months after the confirmation that George's nickname was Archie, Meghan and Harry named their newborn Archie Harrison.
A new report in The Express points out the connection, and speculates that Kate and William might have felt put out that Harry had used their son's nickname for his own son. At the time, it was reported that Archie was deliberately chosen as a name with no royal connections (by contrast, all of William and Kate's kids' names are all family names, given that they're the first family in line to the throne)—but having the future king of England use it as a nickname is, well, quite the royal connection.
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Marie Claire is committed to celebrating the richness and scope of women's lives. We're known for our award-winning features, thoughtful essays and op-eds, deep commitment to sustainable fashion, and buzzy interviews and reviews. Reaching millions of women every month, MarieClaire.com is an internationally recognized destination for celebrity news, fashion trends, beauty recommendations, and renowned investigative packages.