Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have come under fire for their handling of the birth of their son, Archie, with critics accusing the couple of deception and spreading misinformation about his birthdate. On May 6, 2019, Buckingham Palace initially announced that Meghan had gone into labor early that day. However, the palace later corrected this, revealing that Archie had actually been born at 5:26 a.m. that morning, hours before the initial statement was made public.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also broke with royal tradition by opting not to participate in the customary public photo-call following Archie’s birth. Instead, they chose to share private photographs of Archie at Windsor Castle several days later, a move that further fueled criticism.
Royal Historian Labels Birth Announcement “Deceptive”
Royal historian and author Robert Lacey expressed his dismay at the secrecy surrounding Archie’s birth. Writing in the *Daily Mail*, Lacey described the situation as unprecedented in modern royal history. “There was the deception over the announcement of Archie’s birth, which unlike every other royal birth of modern times, took place in total secrecy. Buckingham Palace announced at 2 p.m. on May 6, 2019, that Meghan had gone into labor that morning – when in fact, she had safely given birth to baby Archie eight hours earlier, at 5:26 a.m.,” Lacey wrote.
Sussexes Defend Decision to Break Tradition
In their Netflix docuseries, Meghan Markle defended her decision to have a private birth at Portland Hospital, deviating from the expected royal norms. Meghan revealed her concerns about her age and the possibility of needing a C-section as reasons for her choice. “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,” she explained.
Prince Harry, in the same documentary, discussed the backlash they faced for not adhering to royal customs. He highlighted the intense criticism they received, particularly Meghan, for their decision to keep certain details of their son’s birth private. “The amount of abuse that we got, especially you, but both of us, for not wanting to serve our child up on a silver platter, was incredible,” Harry said, as he reflected on the challenges they faced during that time.
The Sussexes’ approach to their son’s birth and the subsequent decisions have sparked widespread debate, with critics accusing them of defying tradition and misleading the public.