
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
- When it came to welcoming their first child, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle weren't afraid to go against royal tradition.
- The couple kept Archie's birth a secret, not even releasing a public announcement that Meghan was in labor until after she and Harry were already safely home with their newborn.
- According to royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey, the couple's decision was related to how Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, died in 1997.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made a point of doing things their own way and that definitely included how they handled the birth of their son, Archie Harrison.
In his new book, Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey explains that Harry and Meghan were less-than-honest with the press (and, by extension, the masses of royal fans around the world) when it came to announcing Archie's arrival.
Even though Archie was born at 5:26 in the morning on May 6, 2019, the Palace didn't announce anything about the birth until 2 p.m. that afternoon. What's more, when the Palace did make an announcement, it was a misleading statement that implied Meghan had just gone into labor, when in reality, she and Harry were already home with Archie by that time.
The decision famously angered Harry's older brother, Prince William, who had followed the longstanding royal tradition of presenting each of his children to the public within hours of their births. Harry and Meghan made a conscious choice to buck that tradition though. According to Lacey, their strong demand for privacy had to do with Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.
"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," Lacey writes in the book.
Honestly, as reasons to eschew a longstanding family tradition go, that's definitely a good one.
RELATED STORIES
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Kelsea Ballerini, Kristin Cavallari and More Stun at the Inaugural People's Choice Country Awards
Whoa.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Angelina Jolie Says She "Had a Lot of Healing to Do" Before Founding Atelier Jolie
More than just a label, the actress is building a “therapeutic” creative collective.
By Gabriella Onessimo
-
Kylie Jenner Is the Latest Celeb to Debut French Girl Bangs
The reality star debuted her new look at the Acne Studios fashion show in Paris.
By Samantha Holender
-
Princess Kate Has Had to Find New Royals to "Confide" In After Sussex Departure, Says Expert
She has a lot in common with Duchess Sophie.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince William and Prince Harry Rift: "Happy Families Are Not a Game That Everyone Can Play," Says Expert
Yeesh.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Not Having a U.K. Home Base "Isn't Overly Helpful," Source Says
I can see that.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Prince Harry "Snapped King Charles' Olive Branch in Half," Says Commentator
Eek.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Royal Expert Says Prince Harry Turned Down King Charles’ Invitation to Join Him at Balmoral
“For Harry, this was a missed opportunity.”
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Meghan Markle is a Huge Fan of This Academy-Award Winning Actress—and Apparently Really Wants to Work With Her
Good news? The admiration is mutual.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
George, Charlotte and Louis Will Be Laden With Gifts as Prince William Returns From New York
He was handed so many souvenirs for the little ones.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The Exact J.Crew Sweater Blazer Meghan Markle Wore to the Invictus Games is Available to Order Again
It’s also available in other colorways.
By Rachel Burchfield