Prince Harry and Meghan Markle share two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, whom they welcomed in 2019 and 2021, respectively. Harry and Meghan were married for less than a year when they welcomed their first son, and although Harry was excited to be a dad, that doesn’t mean it didn’t come with some nerves.
The prince once described the unusual way he handled the stress while at the hospital with Meghan awaiting the birth of their first born.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Prince Archie | Toby Melville/Pool/Getty Images
Prince Harry ordered Nando’s to calm himself down during Meghan’s labor
Harry and Meghan kept Archie’s birth extremely private. The two opted to give birth at Portland Hospital of London, as opposed to St. Mary’s Hospital — the latter being where Kate Middleton and Princess Diana gave birth to their children. The two also decided not to greet the public immediately after Archie’s birth, which went against the usual royal protocol. Instead, they chose to wait a couple of days until Meghan felt better, then introduce him to the world inside Windsor Castle.
But while Meghan was in labor, Harry was feeling the nerves. In his memoir, “Spare,” Harry recalled that Meghan seemed so calm about giving birth, but he needed a way to relieve his own stress a bit. So, he did what many people do in high-stress situations: ate some food. Harry sent his team members to Nando’s to pick up some quick takeout, which he then ate to get his mind off of everything that was going on.
Harry and Meghan welcomed Archie in what was a smooth, healthy birth. Archie lived in the United Kingdom for about 10 months before the family relocated to the United States, where they have remained ever since.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle later welcomed Princess Lilibet
After Harry and Meghan moved to Montecito, California, they once again welcomed a baby: A little girl named Lilibet Diana. Lilibet was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in June 2021, making Archie and his sister just over two years apart.
“When the big day came we were both surer, calmer – steadier,” Harry’s memoir said of Lilibet’s birth. “What bliss, we said, not having to worry about timing, protocols, journalists at the front gate.”
These days, Harry and Meghan are living comfortably in Montecito, California, with their two children, and they’re keeping the kids’ lives as private as possible while they navigate post-royal life. Today, Prince Archie is five, and Lilibet is three.
