While the news and rumors continue to swirl around Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's abrupt decision to step back from their royal duties - a scandal the British press promptly dubbed "Megxit" - it seems there was one great big clue that should have been staring everyone in the face since the spring of 2019 - a clue named Archie. In fact, the decision for Meghan and Harry to take time away from the public eye dates back to before Archie was even born, as Meghan was treated pretty harshly by the press throughout her pregnancy.
Meghan cites the stress and strain of having to give birth inside the royal fishbowl as one of the reasons that may have led to her and her husband's shocking decision to abandon their royal roles as she became disenchanted with her life as a duchess.
And speaking of royal titles - that's the main clue everyone's been missing all along.
The name Archie is itself not terribly royal sounding. His full name, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, is impressive only at the end, with the double-barreled royal surname. It would have undoubtedly been out of the question to have him be Markle-Mountbatten-Windsor, but that would have been pretty unique.
But his first name - there's just something blue-collar sounding about the name Archie. The immediate associations are Archie Bunker from the 70s sitcom All In the Family and Archie from the comic books of the same name - and, more recently, of the TV drama Riverdale.
BBC News reports that the name is a bit more popular in Britain, having ranked consistently in the top 50 boys' names for most of the 21st century, but it's still pretty telling that there has never been a King Archie or even Archibald. Since baby Archie is just 7th in line to the throne, it's not likely there will be a King Archie any time soon.
Here's what might have been the giveaway: has anyone ever heard Archie referred to by his hereditary title, which is the Earl of Dumbarton? Nope, never - because his parents have chosen not to have their son use it, nor will he go by the courtesy title "His Royal Highness" until his grandpa Charles ascends the throne, according to Vanity Fair.
Archie isn't the only one who may be going without titles. His mom and dad haven't announced any intent to renounce the Duchy of Sussex itself according to their official website, Sussex Royal, which still proclaims itself that of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, according to The Daily Express, royal watchers have read much into the queen's initial statement to the press regarding the couple's intent to step back from their royal roles. Throughout her statement, she referred to the couple as "Harry and Meghan," rather than once using their titles. Some commentators saw this as foreshadowing those titles being stripped altogether.
A more recent press statement published on the Royal Family website revealed,
"The Sussexes will not use their [His and Her Royal Highness] titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."
But Fox News explains that Harry and his bride are not being stripped of those titles, nor did they renounce them; they've just agreed to stop using them. Harry is still a prince, and he and Archie will always be members of the royal family. There's nothing Prince Harry or his granny, the queen, could do to change this - with royals, as with commoners, family is what you're born into, whether the other members like it or not.
Royal or otherwise, little Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is still one of the world's most well-known infants. Good Housekeeping gushed over the knit hat Archie wore in a recent photo, while Tatler elevated him to a new fashion icon who's single-footedly bringing back the once-reviled UGG boot.
One thing's for sure - fans of the royal family couldn't ask for a more entertaining spectacle to help get them through the dull post-holiday winter than Archie-watching.
#Megxit #Royals #MeghanMarkle
0 Comments