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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were torn when it came to naming their son, Archie.
While attending a reading session for children during the royal couple’s trip to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games, Markle shared with a fellow parent who brought her son, Harrison, to the event.
Sherry McBain, a nursing officer in the RAF and a competing member in the Invictus Games, said that her wife, Mandy, discussed with Markle how both their sons share the name “Harrison.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle almost named their, Archie, a different name.
(Getty)
“[Meghan] was like ‘Harrison, that’s Archie’s middle name’, and Mandy was like ‘Yeah, I know,'” McBain told the PA news agency. “They were just having a chat because Harry and Meghan couldn’t decide between Archie and Harrison for the first name.”
Harry, 37, and Markle, 40, welcomed son Archie Harrison on May 6, 2019. He made his debut in the world two days later.
McBain shared that Markle was “really open” and “very friendly” at the event. She shared that her son, Harrison, was “just over the moon that a princess has read him a story, so that went down really well with all the U.K. children.”
Harrison showed the Duchess of Sussex some of his own artwork.
“Harrison was drawing pictures and telling her that it was a picture of a tram,” McBain shared. “I don’t think it quite looked like a tram, so she was very gracious and said, ‘That’s a brilliant tram,’ so he was delighted.”
Harry and Markle paid a visit to Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle before arriving in Netherlands for the Invictus Games.
(AP, File)
The interaction with the children clearly made an impact on both Markle and Harry. During the opening ceremony on Saturday, Prince Harry shared with the crowd his son’s potential career aspirations.
“When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it’s an astronaut, other days it’s a pilot — a helicopter pilot obviously — or Kwazii from Octonauts,” Harry jokingly said. “If you’re laughing, then you’ve seen that.”
PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE ALL SMILES WHILE RIDING MINIATURE LAND ROVERS AT INVICTUS GAME EVENT
“But what I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it’s your character that matters most, and nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today,” he said.
Harry founded the Invictus Games to aid the rehabilitation of injured or sick military service members and veterans, by giving them the challenge of competing in sports events similar to the Paralympics. This year’s competition is taking place in the Dutch city of The Hague.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were torn between “Archie” and “Harrison” for their son’s name.
(Photo by Toby Melville – Pool/Getty Images)
On Friday, Harry and Markle attended a welcome event for competitors and their friends and family, joining them at the event that runs through April 22.
Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, has been a champion of causes that benefit both servicemen and women. He has been involved with the Walking with the Wounded charity and the Endeavor Fund, which honors veterans. Just days after welcoming his son Archie in May 2019, he traveled to the Netherlands to kick off the official countdown to the 2020 games.
It was the couple’s first public appearance in Europe since they gave up their formal royal roles and moved to the U.S. more than two years ago.
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Among some 500 competitors from 20 nations taking part in the games is a team of 19 from Ukraine — many of them taking a brief break from defending their country against the Russian invasion that triggered a devastating war.
The competitors take part in athletics, archery, cycling, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby, as well as Saturday’s driving challenge organized by one of the event’s official partners, carmaker Jaguar Land Rover.
Markle and Harry welcomed their first child, Archie, on May 6, 2019.
(DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan’s arrival in the Netherlands took place just a day after the couple visited Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on their first joint visit to the U.K. since moving to America.
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Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals and moved to North America in 2020, citing the unbearable pressure of their roles and racist attitudes of the British media.
Fox News’ Melissa Roberto and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
