Archie Mountbatten-Windsor’s first three years of life have certainly been busy. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex broke with royal precedent in making their son’s christening at the Windsor Castle chapel a ‘private’ affair, as well as choosing not to disclose the identity of his godparents.
But it was soon back to royal business as usual, as baby Archie travelled the world with his parents, joining Prince Harry and Meghan on their 10-day Royal Tour of Africa in September and October 2019. There he met the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu – certainly quite the honour for a baby.
Archie then spent his first Christmas with his parents in Canada, rather than with the rest of the Royal Family at Sandringham – a decision that made a lot more sense in light of Harry and Meghan’s January 2020 announcement of their plan to step back from royal life. The couple stipulated that while they wish to raise Archie ‘with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born,’ they hoped the transition would provide the family ‘with the space to focus on the next chapter’.
Quite the transatlantic child, Archie then joined his parents in a surprise move from Canada to California, following Harry and Meghan’s final round of engagements as official working royals in the UK back in March last year. The family went on to settle in Montecito, before welcoming Archie’s little sister, Lilibet, in June 2021.
As the Queen’s great-grandson turns three, Tatler looks back at his sweetest photo moments.
