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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Asher Mcshane

Back to work! Prince Harry to launch one-year countdown to Invictus Games just three days after the birth of his son

The Duke of Sussex will leave Meghan and his newborn son as he heads back to work on a trip to the Netherlands where he will launch the one-year countdown for the Invictus Games.

Just three days after the birth of his son Archie, Harry will visit The Hague to launch the one-year countdown to the 2020 games.

Harry introduced Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world alongside wife Meghan in a photocall that made headlines around the world yesterday.

Meghan is likely to still have the company of her mother Doria Ragland at their Frogmore Cottage home while Harry is away on the short trip.

Proud parents Meghan Markle and Prince Harry(Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Harry and Meghan announced they had called their baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor after the duchess movingly described her son and husband as "the two best guys in the world".

The couple broke with royal convention by not using a title for their baby boy, and have given their firstborn a name familiar to fans of the American Archie comic - featuring a main character who has red hair just like the duke.

They named the baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The new parents were pictured showing off baby Archie to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, alongside Ms Ragland, at Windsor Castle.

Harry and Meghan's first born, who is seventh in line to the throne, made his debut with his mother and father at the castle on Wednesday.

Instagram debut: The first post garnered more than one million likes within an hour (Chris Allerton/@SussexRoyal)

The duchess described her son as having the "sweetest temperament", while a delighted duke called him "our own little bundle of joy".

Meghan added: "It's magic, it's pretty amazing. I have the two best guys in the world so I'm really happy."

The couple's son arrived on Monday at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz and his father said, when announcing the birth, the baby's late arrival had given them longer to decide on a name.

Baby Archie is seventh in line to the throne (Dominic Lipinski/PA )

As the first-born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton - one of Harry's subsidiary titles - or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

But the couple chose not to use a courtesy title and the decision fits with Harry and Meghan's desire to give their son as normal a life as possible despite his royal heritage.

He shares a name with a character who is part of the Archie gang, along with a host of others - including Moose Mason, Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones - who have been on American news stands for years.

Archie Andrews is known as "America's typical teenager" and he and his friends have been updated for a modern audience with Riverdale, a Netflix American teenage drama series.

The name is German in origin and means "genuine", "bold" and "brave", and is short for Archibald, but is now a name in its own right.

Harrison means "son of Harry" so is likely to be a tribute to the duke.

It is English in origin and famous Harrisons include the Star Wars actor Harrison Ford.

Archie is not entitled to be an HRH or a prince due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V.

Prince George, Archie's cousin, reportedly told a dog walker earlier this year that his name is Archie when questioned by the pet owner.

Additional reporting by PA

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