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Baby Archie's Name Might Actually Be A Tribute To Princess Diana — Here's Why

by Brianna Wiest

It's been a cool 24 hours since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the news we'd be waiting months to hear: the name of their newborn baby. Their choice was surprising to many, given that it wasn't really on anyone's radar and distinctly erred from the traditional, typical names that royals bestow upon their kin (a very Markle move, TBH). Mostly, some were surprised that "Spencer" or some other nod to Prince Harry's late mother wasn't incorporated. Or was it? According to this theory, baby Archie's name may pay tribute to Princess Diana in this sweet and clever way.

For those who have been under a rock or, you know, just not rapidly scrolling through social media in the last day, Harry and Meghan announced via Instagram and Kensington Palace that their son's name is Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The surname is what all the royal cousins have, and Harrison is both a distinctly American name and technically translates to "son of Harry," so either way, it kind of makes sense.

The wild card? Archie. However, People reported that some believe the name is a call to Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll, who was Diana's ancestor. He reportedly lived from 1629 to 1685, and was a Scottish Protestant leader executed for opposing the Roman Catholic James II.

Welcoming a new baby to the family is an exciting time for everyone, including aunts, uncles, and of course, grandparents.

Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother, landed in the U.K. to help support her daughter with her delivery weeks prior to little Archie's arrival, The Telegraph reported. When Meghan and Harry went to introduce Archie to the Queen, Ragland was there, too, making it an even more special moment. However, notably missing from the group was Harry's mother, the late Princess Diana. Though she couldn't be present, the couple still kept her in mind, as they did throughout their engagement, wedding, and all the other big life milestones that she surely would have loved to see.

Namely, as HuffPost noted, the couple included Diana's siblings in the official birth announcement, sharing that they told Lady Jane, Lady Sarah and Earl Spencer of Archie's arrival, at the same time that Harry's father and siblings found out. It was a sweet way to keep the Spencers closely involved in the moment.

The birth announcement read:

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526 hrs this morning. The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz. The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth. The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer have been informed and are delighted with the news.

Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Earl Spencer are Princess Diana's siblings, according to Harper's Bazaar.

Be that as it is, it's clear that Harry and Meghan are intent on keeping Diana's legacy alive, and remembering her at every exciting phase of their lives. Whether or not that means their son's name choice was a nod to her early ancestry is yet to be known. Perhaps it's a topic they'll formally address at some point in the future. Right now, we can rest assured they're pretty distracted by total baby bliss.