Prince Archie, who celebrates his seventh birthday next week, has achieved a significant royal milestone that his older cousin, Prince Louis, has yet to reach. Despite his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, stepping down as senior working royals when he was just a few months old, Archie accompanied them on a royal tour to South Africa in 2019 when he was only several months old. During that visit, he stayed with his parents as they carried out engagements and even had the opportunity to meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Archie's Early Royal Tour
Archie was born on May 6, 2019, at the private Portland Hospital in London, and was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. He became a prince after the death of his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. He is sixth in line to the throne and moved to the United States when he was ten months old after his parents decided to leave royal duties for a new life in California.
In contrast, eight-year-old Prince Louis has yet to go on a royal tour. This is largely due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, followed by his mother, Kate, Princess of Wales, being diagnosed with cancer in 2024. His older siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were both considerably younger when they embarked on their first overseas tours. George was just nine months old when he visited Australia and New Zealand, while Charlotte made her royal tour debut at 16 months old during a family visit to Canada in 2016.
Archie's Sister and Family Life
Archie's sister, Princess Lilibet, who turns five next month, has not appeared at any royal events, having been born in the United States. She has only met her grandfather, King Charles III, once. Archie has made several appearances on Meghan's Instagram feed since the Duchess launched her As Ever business last year, though Meghan has been careful to hide his face.
Last year, to mark Archie's sixth birthday, Meghan posted on Instagram, calling him "our sweet boy" and writing, "He's six! Where did the time go?" She shared a photograph of Archie from behind, watching a vibrant orange sunset, with the caption, "Our son. Our sun." She thanked friends who celebrated at a recent party, saying, "And for all of you who came to celebrate with us at his party last weekend, thank you for making his birthday so incredibly special."
