The advent of Archie, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's firstborn, was met with disapproval from a royal photographer, who saw it as a break from longstanding tradition.
Instead of adhering to the customary photo shoot on the steps of London's Portland Hospital, where Archie was born on May 6th, 2019, the Sussexes chose an alternative route. Two days post-birth, photographers were finally granted a glimpse of the royal baby during a photo call at St. George's Hall in Windsor Castle.
British photographer Arthur Edwards, renowned for his decades-long documentation of the Royals, criticized Prince Harry and Meghan for orchestrating their son's birth according to their preferences rather than following established postpartum traditions, believed to trace back to Princess Diana in the 1980s. Edwards claimed the entire affair was staged to suit the couple. He suggested that the Press were misled about Markle's labor and the timing of Archie's birth. According to Edwards, the information provided indicated Markle went into labor much later than she actually did, and the birth, initially planned for home, occurred in a hospital instead.
Originally intending to give birth at Frogmore Cottage with an all-female midwifery team, Markle ultimately opted for hospital delivery when her son was overdue by a week. Speculation swirled on Twitter, with some questioning the authenticity of Archie and his sister Lily, suggesting that other mothers might be lending their children for photo opportunities. A YouTube video alleging Archie to be a lifelike doll gained traction, citing resemblances to doll-like features as evidence.
Further controversy erupted when observers noted Archie's apparent lack of movement during the photo opportunity with Prince Harry. Some speculated that the baby was a doll, with one Royal fan commenting on social media about Harry holding what appeared to be a doll while Meghan strategically obscured the baby's face. Others pointed out stark differences between videos of the Waleses introducing their newborns and Meghan and Harry with Archie, noting the babies' activity levels and the parents' demeanor.
Adding fuel to the fire, some viewers questioned the timing of Archie's birth, suspecting that Harry's comment in an interview hinted at Archie being older than stated during the introduction. Harry's response, diplomatically alluding to babies changing rapidly and resemblance being difficult to discern early on, was interpreted by some as a slip-up revealing Archie's true age.
