Meghan has quietly removed her real name from her son Archie’s birth certificate in an unprecedented move.
Prince Archie was born on May 6, 2019, and his birth was registered 11 days later. However, before his first month, the birth certificate was amended.
In the mother’s section, the note no longer reads “Rachel Meghan”, but instead “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex”. The unusual change comes amid rumours of a rift between the Harry – Meghan family and the William – Kate family.
According to The Sun , this move shows the Sussexes’ confrontation with the Welsh family because on the birth certificates of all three William – Kate children, Kate’s real name is recorded. It can also be seen as Harry putting Meghan on the same level as his mother, Princess Diana – who always used the name “Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales”.
Days after making the change, Harry and Meghan left the royal quartet’s joint charity. A few months later, they stepped down as senior members of the royal family. In early 2020, the Sussexes moved to North America and welcomed their second child, Princess Lilibet, across the pond.
“It’s very strange and raises all sorts of questions about what the Sussexes were thinking,” said Colon Campbell, who spotted the change. Meanwhile, Dickie Arbiter, a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II , suggested the changes could have been part of their plans. Royal expert Ingrid Seward added: “It’s unprecedented for a member of the royal family to change their birth certificate, and removing their first name is also notable. Perhaps this is another sign that they’re keen to do something different from the William – Kate family .”