The Lies And Scandals Behind Archie The Royal Baby

Meghan and Harry have courted a lot of controversy in recent years, particularly around their son, Archie. That’s because the pregnancy, birth, and everything that followed have been filled with lies and scandals.

Harry and Meghan have long been a source of controversy

Harry, although beloved, has long been a controversial member of the Royal Family. His antics as a teen and twenty-something attracted a lot of negative publicity, although people often forgave his behavior because of past traumas. When he met Meghan Markle in 2016, the controversy entered new territory, particularly once the pair became engaged.

Talk of Meghan being an inappropriate choice of partner, combined with her supposed inability to meet royal expectations, caused some scandal. Then, the duo took things a step further by tying the knot and having a baby, the latter of which brought everything to a whole new level. As soon as the prospect of Meghan giving birth to a royal baby became a reality, the scandals got out of control.

The couple announced the pregnancy during their first royal tour

The couple wasted no time in moving from newlyweds to expectant parents. They announced their pregnancy in October 2018, mere months after becoming husband and wife. The revelation came as the couple engaged in their first royal tour, a trip that saw them visit Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji.

Given the timing of the announcement, a lot of the focus on the tour revolved around congratulating the pair’s pregnancy and offering them gifts for the baby. Naturally, this spurred some people to accuse Harry and Meghan of doing this on purpose because they wanted to be the center of attention. This is something that’s often been thrown the couple’s way, particularly with regards to Meghan, and has only grown in intensity over the years.

The Royal Family allegedly learned about the pregnancy at Princess Eugenie’s wedding

This notion of attention-seeking wasn’t helped by the rumor regarding when exactly the couple announced their pregnancy to the Royal Family. While the public learned about the baby bump on October 15, the family was reportedly informed several days earlier. This isn’t too surprising, given that people often tell their nearest and dearest about a pregnancy before sharing it with others.

However, the problem was where and when the couple allegedly decided to do this. Apparently, they dropped the bombshell on October 12, otherwise known as the date Princess Eugenie tied the knot. Obviously, the family was all together at the event, so it was an excellent opportunity to share the good news. However, supposedly stealing the bride’s thunder didn’t exactly do Meghan’s reputation any good.

People questioned whether Meghan’s baby bump was real or not

As soon as the couple revealed their pregnancy, the focus on them intensified. More importantly, the interest in Meghan increased significantly. Everything she did was already being scrutinized, yet somehow, the fascination became even greater. That’s why people began questioning the legitimacy of the pregnancy. There were moments when the public was confused by Meghan’s appearance, particularly regarding the size of her bump.

It sometimes seemed to grow a lot bigger over short periods of time, prompting speculation that it wasn’t real. There was a suggestion that she was wearing a fake bump to hide that a surrogate was actually carrying her baby. This was never proven, nor did everyone agree with this assumption. However, the rumors attracted a lot of traffic online.

The couple’s silence made it easier for people to speculate and spread rumors

While accusations that the baby bump was fake never amounted to anything solid, Meghan and Harry didn’t help the situation during the pregnancy. Their desire to keep things private essentially backfired on them because it gave the media and the public more room to speculate. For instance, the duo was incredibly vague about when Archie was expected to arrive.

Rather than provide a due date, they opted for the revelation that he would be born in the spring. This meant there was a three-month window for him to appear in, making it harder to judge just how pregnant Meghan actually was. So, at times when her bump seemed bigger, it was easier for people to accuse her of faking the pregnancy or something else along those lines.

Meghan’s handling of the baby bump also caused some commotion

With the couple keeping quiet throughout that period, Meghan’s bump was one of the few reminders that she was actually pregnant. Unfortunately for her, that meant that most of the attention was focused on that while she was expecting. Not only did people accuse Meghan of faking the bump, but they also called her out for holding it too much as well.

Again, talk of her being an attention seeker reared its ugly head because she wouldn’t keep her hand away from her belly. While some supported this action and suggested it was good for the baby, others believed she was being a hypocrite. They couldn’t get behind her desire for privacy when she seemingly kept bringing attention to the bump while out in public.

The couple reportedly knew they were having a boy before the birth

The Royal Family has plenty of traditions when it comes to babies, but revealing the gender of a child isn’t one of them. It’s perfectly normal for the couple to keep this news a secret until the boy or girl is born. In fact, many royals reportedly don’t even discover the gender in advance, preferring to keep things a surprise until the very end.

Supposedly, Meghan and Harry did the same. The couple certainly didn’t reveal his gender to the public until after the birth. However, according to the book ‘Finding Freedom,’ the gender wasn’t actually as shocking to them as initially believed. The duo was reportedly aware that they were having a boy and instead just pretended not to know like everyone else.

Meghan Markle caused controversy by having a baby shower

Something else that’s not considered a tradition in the Royal Family is a baby shower. This event is incredibly popular with women in the United States as it’s an opportunity for loved ones to come together and celebrate someone’s pregnancy. However, it’s less common in the United Kingdom, with royals particularly uninterested in the event.

Of course, that didn’t stop Meghan from indulging in a baby shower, even going so far as to travel to the U.S. to have it. Organized by her close friend Serena Williams, the event was a star-studded bash that reflected the expectant mother’s past as an actress. While she and her friends likely enjoyed the festivities, the public – and allegedly some of the royals – weren’t so thrilled.

The facts around Archie’s birth were misleading at first

After months of speculation and accusations, Archie finally came into the world on May 6, 2019. As previously attested, he did indeed arrive in the spring, although that was one of the few truths that emerged on the big day. It seems that Meghan and Harry weren’t as open about the birth as people had expected them to be, something that caused yet more scandal for the couple.

Archie apparently arrived in the early hours of the morning, with the birth being a relatively smooth process. However, the media and the public didn’t learn of this until that afternoon, and the information they received was somewhat misleading. The first announcement suggested that Meghan was in labor at the time of writing, despite him actually arriving hours earlier.

People weren’t happy about being lied to with the announcements

Shortly after the first announcement, it was revealed that Archie had arrived safe and sound. However, some people were reluctant to celebrate that news because of the revelation that they’d been lied to. By the time that both the news of Meghan being in labor and then giving birth came, the mother and son were already back at Frogmore Cottage.

It wasn’t the media who were to blame for this, though. They reported the facts as soon as they received them, meaning the couple was responsible for the delay. In their desire for privacy, they’d seemingly waited to share the news until after they were back home. Presumably, this was to avoid publicity at the hospital where Archie was delivered.

Harry’s post-birth interview was supposedly proof of him lying

The lies seemingly kept coming that day, at least, according to some people. Not everyone believes that Archie was actually born on May 6 or that Meghan was the one who gave birth to him. Moreover, they consider Harry’s first interview post-birth as proof of this fact. They believe the new father’s giddiness isn’t a sign of joy over having a baby but rather an indication that he’s lying.

Some suggested he would have acted “more like a man” if he was being genuine, while others claimed his behavior was tied to PTSD from military service. Evidently, the months of secrecy and rumors rubbed some people up the wrong way, making them reluctant to accept anything presented to them by the couple.

The decision to delay the post-birth photo caused an uproar

Something that definitely aggravated a fair number of people before and after the birth was the lack of an immediate photo. The couple declared before Archie’s arrival that they wouldn’t follow in Kate and Diana’s footsteps by posing outside of the hospital on that special day. Instead, they would spend some time alone with the newborn before eventually letting the world meet him.

Some people accepted this, understanding where the couple was coming from as new parents concerned for their privacy. However, others considered the whole thing scandalous, given that the post-birth photograph had become a tradition in recent decades. They viewed the couple’s decision as another betrayal in a long list of attempts to reject the Royal Family’s customs.

The Royal Family was apparently indifferent to the post-birth photo

The decision to forgo this new tradition was considered by plenty to be an insult to the Royal Family. However, according to Meghan, there were never any demands from the monarchy to stand outside the hospital and have her photograph taken. While it was the couple’s choice to avoid the publicity for their son’s safety, the prospect of taking a photo was never brought up by the family either.

Meghan believes this relates to him not being a prince, in contrast to Diana’s and Kate’s children, who all received royal titles upon birth. The family supposedly wasn’t as concerned with following this tradition for a child with weaker ties to the throne, so they didn’t enforce it. Of course, the public didn’t all see things that way.

Meghan’s maternity leave meant people couldn’t keep track of her pregnancy

Like most mothers, Meghan Markle went on maternity leave toward the end of her pregnancy. As a working royal, this essentially meant that she no longer had to attend public events, her last appearance being in mid-March 2019. With Meghan at home counting down the days until Archie’s arrival, there was a sense that the boy would arrive very soon.

However, the public had no way of knowing exactly how much time was left, which again prompted speculation over the truth of the pregnancy. Given that Archie wasn’t born until almost two months after Meghan’s final public appearance, some people grew suspicious about his arrival. In fact, they believed that he actually came into the couple’s lives two weeks earlier than that controversial day in May.

Several incidents suggest Archie may have been born earlier than announced

There are several pieces of evidence that people use to support this scandalous theory that Archie was born earlier than announced. Along with Meghan Markle being hidden from the public eye for several months, there was the fact that an ambulance went to Frogmore Cottage a few weeks before the birth. While this could have been for anything, some believe the medical assistance was required to help deliver Archie.

They couple this with the fact that the Queen also visited the couple’s home not long after. Given that the monarch is supposed to be the first member of the family to meet a new great-grandchild, this definitely provided some food for thought. However, there’s no way of proving that this visit had anything to do with an early birth.

The couple’s plans for a home birth prompted speculation that they were hiding something

Meghan’s birthing plans weren’t something that she, nor anyone in her family, discussed with the public. However, news quickly got around that she intended on delivering Archie at home rather than in a hospital. As traditions go, this is technically in line with the Royal Family’s expectations. After all, Queen Elizabeth II had her kids at home.

However, the decision did cause some controversy, particularly because of its private nature. The fact that Meghan was going to give birth at home meant it would be easier for her to hide the truth of what went down. If Archie did arrive several weeks earlier, or if the couple did use a surrogate, then a home birth would help to keep everything a secret.

Giving birth in a hospital apparently wasn’t a last-minute decision

Although a home birth was supposedly Meghan Markle’s plan, that never came to fruition. She ended up giving birth to Archie at Portland Hospital, much like Sarah Ferguson did with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. What’s more, it seems like this was her intention for several months before the birth.

While it might have appeared as though the trip to the hospital was a last-minute decision because of complications or something similar, that wasn’t actually the case. ‘Finding Freedom’ claims that Meghan knew she’d be giving birth in a hospital well in advance, and she was actually relieved when this happened. Supposedly, she was less fixated on having a home birth and more concerned about delivering Archie in the “safest way possible.”

Name changes for Meghan and Harry on Archie’s birth certificate caused more drama

Given all the confusion and potential lies around the birth, many people were eager to see what Archie’s birth certificate said. After all, this document would surely provide the concrete facts that the public was looking for? Unfortunately, this too caused a bit of a scandal, although not in the way people may have expected. It wasn’t the information regarding Archie’s birth that got people talking, but rather the presentation of his parents’ names.

It seems that a month after the certificate was made, Meghan’s first and middle names were removed, while “Prince” was added to Harry’s title. This move caused controversy and seemed to contradict the couple’s desire to separate themselves from the royals. However, the decision was reportedly made by Buckingham Palace, not the couple themselves.

Archie’s christening was just as secretive as his birth

Following all the secrecy around Archie’s birth, people were hopeful that his christening would be another matter. However, the couple wasn’t about to change their tune so quickly, and instead, they made the service as private as possible. Whereas William and Kate had allowed the media to wait outside and take photos during their various christenings, Harry and Meghan blocked the public out completely.

The only proof people had that a christening took place was the two photos posted on the couple’s social media feed after the event. That, combined with the pair not rearranging the service to a date where the Queen and Prince Philip were free, caused controversy for weeks. It also made it clear that Archie’s childhood was going to remain behind closed doors permanently.

Archie’s godparents were yet another detail that the couple kept to themselves

Along with Archie’s gender and birth, something that was long speculated about the child was who his godparents would be. His cousins aren’t short of godparents themselves, and given Meghan’s connections, rumors were rife about the list of potential candidates. George Clooney and Serena Williams were heavily favored by the media, along with other big names tied to Harry.

However, whether these celebrities were set to become godparents or not, the public wasn’t going to find out. The couple had no intention of releasing this information, and the fact that the christening was a private affair meant there was less risk of the truth coming out. The names of the godparents have since come out, but it was months after the service before this happened.

When Meghan returned to the public eye, she did so without Archie

Like any mother on maternity leave, there was no rush for Meghan to return to work. Although there were several notable family events in the months after Archie’s birth, she didn’t have to attend these if she didn’t want to. Something that she did show her face for was the annual Trooping The Colour ceremony, which took place a month later.

Meghan’s attendance was notable for several reasons, one of which being that she didn’t bring Archie along. The notion that mother and son could hardly be apart was contradicted by the child’s absence, which again set people talking. Given his young age, the event may not have been suitable for the baby. However, not everyone was happy about Archie being hidden away from the world.

One of Meghan and Archie’s few public appearances caused quite a stir

While he might have been absent from the Queen’s belated birthday celebrations, there were a few instances when Meghan Markle did appear in public with her baby. This most notably occurred at a polo game, which both Harry and William competed in. Meghan was pictured with Archie alongside Kate – who was there with her own children – but her appearance didn’t satisfy the masses.

When people weren’t criticizing the disconnect between the two sisters-in-law, they were judging Meghan’s parenting methods. They most notably claimed she was holding her baby wrong and suggested she didn’t know what she was doing. Given the amount of controversy this incident caused, it’s no surprise that Meghan is so reluctant to appear in public without her child. She doesn’t want Archie to experience such scrutiny.

Archie didn’t receive a royal title after he was born

Titles are one of the many benefits that come from being in the Royal Family. The closer you are to the throne, the likelier you are to get them. When William and Kate’s children were born, all of them received titles, with the Queen even changing the rules to ensure that was the case. Due to this, there was great expectation that Archie would receive a similar benefit once he was born.

People pondered over whether he’d be named a prince, an earl, or something similar. However, upon his arrival, he was simply referred to as Archie. Some claimed this was a snub by the Royal Family; others stated that Meghan and Harry didn’t want a title for their son. What was the truth, though?

The Royal Family allegedly wanted to deny Archie a birthright

Meghan’s understanding of the situation seemed to be that it was protocol for Archie to receive a title. Regardless of whether the couple wanted one for their son or not, there was supposedly an expectation for him to get one. However, this evidently didn’t come to fruition, given that the boy is simply known as Archie.

What’s more, Meghan apparently believes that the Royal Family wanted to change a convention that would grant the boy a title in the future. Once Charles is king, it will be Archie’s right to be referred to as His Royal Highness and become a prince. This is tied to a protocol established a century ago, which grants the benefit to all grandchildren of the monarch. Unfortunately, the monarchy allegedly wants to change that.

The supposed plot to rob Archie of a title came out during an explosive interview

According to Meghan Markle, Archie’s titles are a birthright, one that the Royal Family supposedly discussed removing while she was pregnant. A reason for why was apparently never given, although it’s well-known that Prince Charles wishes to streamline the monarchy. To try and improve their reputation, he believes it’s best to limit the power and its benefits to a select few members of the family.

While that may once have included Harry, Meghan, and their children, recent events have undoubtedly changed things. The revelation about this supposed plotting behind the scenes came to light during an interview that the couple had with Oprah Winfrey. It was just one of the details that emerged during their conversation, which sparked an intense amount of scandal.

Meghan and Harry were more upset about the lack of protection Archie would receive

It wasn’t the fact that Harry and Meghan were desperate for their son to have a title that caused so much upset. Instead, it was him being denied the benefits that such a title would bring, such as increased protection. The pair have always valued security for their son. So, any opportunity that can provide it is something they’re happy to embrace.

They seemingly believed that Archie would receive a similar level of protection to his cousins, but it soon became clear that wasn’t the case. This apparently caused a disconnect between the two sides, especially as Archie was more than just the couple’s first son. He was also the first child in the Royal Family to be a person of color.

Someone reportedly had concerns about Archie’s skin color

When people first began complaining about Harry marrying Meghan Markle, they claimed it was because she was an American actress. Plenty didn’t mention her skin color, but it’s clear this has always been a problem for some. According to the couple, that was the case within the monarchy. People allegedly had conversations with Harry regarding concerns about Archie’s skin color.

No one was named in the interview, and the couple stated to Oprah that neither the Queen nor her late husband said anything about it. However, apparently, at least one person was fearful about how dark the boy’s skin would be. Obviously, this is something that didn’t sit well with either parent, and might explain why so much has changed in the last few years.

Concerns about Archie’s skin color may have prompted the couple to increase their privacy

The reported concerns about Archie being darker-skinned than other family members came long before he was born. It was seemingly one of the first things that was raised while Meghan Markle was pregnant, which in itself was mere months after the couple tied the knot. After learning about these supposed fears, Meghan probably already had an indication that her child would not be treated the same as his cousins.

She may have feared that he’d receive this kind of negative attention from members of the public too. Even if many were supportive of him, there would always be some who viewed him differently because of his skin. That might be why the couple keeps him out of the spotlight as much as possible.

Racial issues are something that Meghan is very much accustomed to

As a woman of color, Meghan is no stranger to racial issues. Many times she’s seen firsthand how a person’s skin can influence the way that other people treat them. If she wasn’t already exposed to it growing up and breaking into the film and TV industry, she definitely became familiar with it when she met Harry. Being in the Royal Family, interest in his personal life has always been significant.

Some say that level of attention is why Meghan got with him in the first place. Regardless of her intentions, it’s unlikely she anticipated experiencing quite so much offensive language, particularly from within the monarchy. If she really did have it directed at her unborn son, it might be no wonder why situations like the Oprah interview happened.

Not everyone believes that the couple were truthful during their interview

Of course, not everyone believes the version of events presented in that Oprah interview. Given how scandalous it was, there are unsurprisingly a lot of people who question its legitimacy. Piers Morgan, who’s always quick to criticize Meghan’s actions, has certainly shared his doubts about what was revealed.

He and others have seemingly disproved some of what was said during the interview, which then brings all the other points into question. Given the Royal Family’s reluctance to discuss such scandalous issues, it’s likely no one will ever come forward and talk about what happened during Meghan’s pregnancy. However, regardless of what the couple claims to be true, there will always be people who don’t trust their side of the story because of their track record.

Most of the couple’s actions has been about protecting their son

Pretty much everything that Harry and Meghan have done in recent years has been to protect their son. While they were still working members of the Royal Family, most of their controversial actions were for Archie’s sake. From staying quiet during the pregnancy to delaying the post-birth photo, the only thing they cared about was keeping him safe.

It’s understandable given what Harry’s mother went through both during and after her marriage to Prince Charles. The constant attention from the media and the public brought her a great deal of misery, and that obsession with her potentially cost her her life. Harry’s spent most of his life trying to come to terms with that, and he doesn’t want the same pain to befall his son.

Archie has always been compared unfavorably to William and Kate’s children

There’s plenty of expectation around a royal baby that you don’t get with other children. Of course, this does differ depending on where a couple sits in the line of succession. Many of Harry’s cousins have avoided mass media attention with their pregnancies and births because they’re not that close to the throne. Unfortunately, despite having little chance of becoming king himself, he hasn’t been so lucky.

Everything he and Meghan have done regarding Archie has been compared directly to his brother and sister-in-law, whose children are 3rd, 4th, and 5th in line to the throne. George, Charlotte, and Louis being raised in line with traditions has contrasted greatly with Harry and Meghan’s desire for doing things their own way. That’s partly why Archie’s such a source of controversy.

Meghan’s second pregnancy has prompted surrogacy speculation again

It’s been several years now since Archie was born, and a great deal has changed. However, some things are just as they were before. For instance, after the couple revealed their second pregnancy in February 2021, people were quick to accuse the pair of faking the bump – again! Online searches around Meghan faking her pregnancy apparently increased by several thousand percent, with some unwilling to believe the evidence presented to them.

Like with Archie, the notion that the couple was using a surrogate was a popular one, although the reasons why are unclear. Presumably, those who believe they went down this route the first time will naturally assume they did so again. Some, though, just refuse to believe that anything Meghan says or does is truthful.

The second pregnancy was just as secretive, if not more so, as the last

When the couple announced they were having another child in February, people didn’t know what to think. This was their first time being pregnant away from the Royal Family, so things were presumably going to be a little different. In reality, they were pretty similar, with the couple keeping just as quiet about everything as they were before.

In fact, they shared even less about their new baby because they didn’t have to make the public appearances that were expected of them last time. One thing they did do differently, though, was reveal the child’s gender. They announced they were having a girl – Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor – during their interview with Oprah, who was eventually born on 4 June 2021. The news of her arrival came two days later.

The couple’s controversial history has tarnished the way some people see them forever

When it comes to the Royal Family, it’s hard to know the truth. They don’t like to discuss private matters, meaning whenever there’s a scandal, it’s hard to know what to believe. Now that Harry and Meghan are out of that world, they’re free to talk about such things more openly. However, given their secretive nature and history of lies, controversy, and scandal, not everyone’s going to take them at their word.

Some people will never be able to overlook what’s come before, believing that the pair wasted every chance they had to be honest. It’s something that everyone in the public eye experiences to a certain degree, though. Plus, given the couple’s desire for privacy, it’s probably not going to keep them awake at night either.