Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Open Up About the Aftermath of Archie's Birth
After Meghan Markle became an official member of the royal family in 2018 following her wedding to Prince Harry, there was much discussion about the ways that the new Duchess of Sussex broke with royal tradition. It was a conversation that only grew when she gave birth to the couple's first child, Archie, in 2019. Meghan's decision not to give birth at the Lindo Wing, followed by a formal photocall to introduce the new royal baby to the world, as Princess Diana and Kate Middelton had done with their children, made headlines and sparked unexpected controversy. In the latest installment of their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the couple opened up about their choice for the first time, as well as their thoughts on the aftermath.
Even before she went into labor, Meghan reveals, "there was already the pressure of the picture on the steps. ... But I had been really worried going into that labor, because I’m older, I didn’t know if I’d have to have a c-section, and I had a very longstanding relationship with my doctor, and that’s who I trusted with my pregnancy."
However, Meghan's doctor wasn't based at St. Mary's Hospital, where Prince William and Harry, and William's children had been born, and where the steps for the traditional first baby photo were. Instead, she was at Portland Hospital, and the Sussexes were told the location would make photos impossible, due to safety considerations around the hospital's entrance. Ultimately, the couple decided Meghan would give birth with her doctor, and present the baby for photos at Windsor Castle later. "Everything internally was 'yes, yes, oh yes,'" Meghan says on the show. "At no point did someone go 'absolutely not.'"
The couple ultimately introduced Archie to the press at St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle two days after his birth, speaking with reporters and posing with their new son, but the break from expectations and the delay led some in the media—as well as the public—to call out the couple.
"Even though it was just two days after Archie was born, it turned into a narrative of Harry and Meghan being selfish," said James Holt, who worked in communications for the couple at the Palace and later joined them at Archewell.
"The amount of abuse that we got, especially you," Harry says to Meghan in the series, "but both of us, for not wanting to serve our child up on a silver platter, was incredible."
Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, agrees, saying of the response, "It was almost like 'it’s not your child, it’s the institution’s child,' and she’s saying 'no, this is my baby.'"
While the royal couple has previously spoken about their relationship with the media, the new series has provided new insights into the behind the scenes experiences they had that led them to stepping back from their lives as working royals, as well as some sweet revelations about their courtship and early life together, and a slew of never before seen photos. All six episodes of the documentary are streaming on Netflix right now.
You Might Also Like
