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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were torn over son Archie's first name

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have two children

archie appearance harry apple series
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are parents to two young children, there's no denying that they are relishing life as parents. However, their first decision as new parents was a slightly tricky one.

MORE: 14 adorable photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie

During a conversation with an Invictus Games competitor, Meghan confessed that she and Prince Harry were torn over what to call their firstborn – whether they choose Archie or Harrison as the first name.

WATCH: Duchess Meghan reveals Archie and Lilibet's sibling bond

The couple, who welcomed their little boy on 6 May 2019, named him Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

READ: Why Meghan Markle has flown back to Los Angeles - four days before Prince Harry

MORE: This is what Archie and Lilibet call their mother Meghan Markle

Sherry McBain, 42, said her wife Mandy brought their little boy Harrison to a children's book reading attended by the former actress at the Invictus Games in The Hague, and the pair got chatting. She told the PA: "She was like, 'Harrison, that's Archie's middle name', and Mandy was like, 'Yeah, I know.'

"They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn't decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name."

meghan harry baby© Photo: Getty Images

Harry and wife Meghan with Archie as a newborn

The name Archie (sometimes used as a shortening of the name Archibald or Arthur) means true, bold and brave. Meanwhile, Harrison means "son of Harry," so its inclusion in Archie's full name is likely to have been a tribute to the Duke.

Archie entered the top ten names for boys in England and Wales for the first time in 2020, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). There were 2,944 babies named Archie in 2020, up from 2,544 in 2019.

harry and meghan invictus© Photo: Getty Images

The couple pictured at the Invictus Games on Sunday

In June 2021, the couple welcomed their daughter, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Lilibet is the Queen's family nickname and the doting parents refer to their daughter as Lili.

Little Lili is the first of the Queen's great-grandchildren to be born outside the UK, not to mention the first royal baby who has had the honour of sharing their first name with her Majesty. Her cousin, Princess Charlotte, has Elizabeth as the first of her middle names, however, with Diana as her second.

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