Was Meghan Markle's Name Removed From Son Archie's Birth Certificate? Here's What We Know

As per reports, Archie's birth certificate was altered by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex before they parted ways with the royal family.

By Hena Ahmed

Published on Jul 09, 2024 | 03:41 PM IST | 124.2K

Meghan Markle (Credit: Getty Images)

According to the Mirror, a few days after Archie's birth on May 6, 2019, Harry and Meghan registered his full name as Archibald Harrison Mountbatten Windsor on May 17. According to the certificate, Harry's name was listed as "His Royal Highness Henry Charles Albert David Duke of Sussex" and Meghan as "Rachel Meghan, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex."

Archie was named after Archibald Campbell, the 9th Earl of Argyll, who was an important personality in Scottish history and an ancestor of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. However, a few weeks later, on June 5, an amendment was made to the birth certificate. Meghan's first name, "Rachel Meghan," was removed, and she was listed solely as "Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex." According to sources, Harry and Meghan changed their two children's official surnames to Sussex to bring unity to the family, despite Meghan's birth name being Rachel Meghan Markle.

Royal observers react to change in Birth Certificate

In June 2019, amidst growing speculation and tension within the royal family, Meghan and Harry, announced their decision to separate from the joint charity, the Royal Foundation, which they had shared with Prince William and Kate. The Foundation was established in 2009 to support various social causes.

By January 2020, Meghan and Harry had officially stepped back as senior members of the royal family and expressed their intention to relocate to California. This move, often referred to as "Megxit," took many by surprise.

The reason behind their decision was never disclosed, but it was assumed by The Sun that it could be a deliberate move amid the bitter relationship between Harry and William. Meanwhile, Meghan's decision not to use her first name, "Rachel Meghan," on Archie's birth certificate was noted, contrasting with William and Kate's children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—all of whom have Kate's name included on their birth certificates.

Some even speculated that Harry may have wanted Meghan to follow in the footsteps of his mother, Princess Diana, who took the title of "Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales".

Impact of the birth certificate update on the Royal Family perception

Several figures known to the royal family, including The Sun, have weighed in on the amendments to Archie's birth certificate.The Queen's former press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, stated the change could have been "an early part of their plan." While Royal expert Ingrid Seward remarked, "For a royal to change a birth certificate is unprecedented, but to remove forenames is remarkable. Perhaps this is another sign they were desperate to do something different to the Cambridges."

Lady Colin Campbell, a British Jamaican socialite and royal commentator who first discovered the amendment, felt it to be extraordinary, " It raises all kinds of questions about what the Sussexes were thinking."

Birth certificates in the royal family often carry symbolic meaning and can reflect family rifts or assertions of independence. For example, Princess Charlotte's birth certificate includes her full name, "Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge," honoring both her late grandmother and great-grandmother, Princess Diana.

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