THE ANNOUNCEMENT of Archie’s birth was “stage managed to suit Harry and Meghan”, according to a royal expert.

Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, photographer Arthur Edwards MBE said that he remembers getting excellent pictures after the births of several other royal babies.

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Harry and Meghan with their newborn son in Windsor Castle, May 8, 2019Credit: AFP

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Harry, Meghan and Archie during their royal tour of South Africa in September 2019Credit: Getty
But he told the programme’s host Matt Wilkinson that on the big day in May 2019, the media were “led to believe” that Meghan had gone into labour at two o’clock when in fact the child had already been born.

He said: “When the baby was born, when Archie was born, that was another, in my view, disaster – I knew we were not going to get a picture of [Archie].

“Everybody was hoping we would get pictures.

“I mean obviously when William was born and Harry was born and George and Charlotte and Louis, we got great pictures outside the hospital, I remember.

“And William and Catherine especially, they made such an effort to show the whole world their new baby.

“Harry’s baby Archie was almost teething before we found out he was born, you know.

“We were led to believe that she had gone into labour at two o’clock, when the baby had been born many hours earlier.

“We were led to believe it was going to be a home birth and it was in a hospital.

“The whole thing was just stage managed to suit them.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their son in May 2019 – just a year after tying the knot in their whirlwind romance.

Meghan had initially wanted to give birth to Archie at Frogmore Cottage while attended by an all-female midwife team.

But she was forced to go to London’s private Portland Hospital to deliver the child, who weighed 7lb 3oz when he arrived on May 6 2019.

Harry and Meghan announced the name of their first child as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

The biography Finding Freedom revealed how the couple shared the news with the delighted Royal Family – naturally telling Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip first.

The explosive book, which was released in 2020, then claimed the proud new parents shared the news with Harry’s dad Prince Charles and brother Prince William – sending a photograph of the little boy who became the seventh-in-line to the throne.

Delighted Meghan and Harry then sent a message to the special cousins-only royal WhatsApp group to spread news of baby Archie’s birth.

But the biography claimed Meghan did not tell her estranged dad Thomas Markle.

Archie’s birth and the announcement

Meghan initially wanted to give birth to Archie at Frogmore Cottage while attended by an all-female midwife team.

But her dreams of a home birth were dashed as she was forced to go to London’s private Portland Hospital to deliver the tot, who weighed 7lb 3oz when he arrived on May 6 2019.

A source told Page Six: “Meghan’s plan was to have a home birth with Archie, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans.

“In the end, her doctors advised her to go to hospital and all she was interested in was about delivering Archie safely.”

Harry and Meghan didn’t want to announce where or when Archie was born, but agreed to a photo call in the grounds of Windsor Castle after his birth.

Queen Elizabeth II also wanted to officially announce Archie’s arrival with a note displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace as a mark of her affection.

Beaming Harry told the press: “It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined.

“How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension. But we’re both absolutely thrilled.

“We’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there, it’s been amazing, so we just wanted to share this with everybody.”

Harry and Meghan announced the name of their first child as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Archie, short for Archibald, is a name of German origin and means “bold or brave”. Harrison is of English origin — and means “son of Harry”.

The hyphenated surname Mountbatten-Windsor is in keeping with a royal tradition established by the Queen to differentiate her direct descendants from the rest of the House of Windsor.

But the choice of Archie Harrison surprised royal watchers, with some hoping Harry would include Spencer as a nod to mum Princess Diana’s maiden name.

Baby Archie’s birth has widely been reported to be one of the reasons the couple left the Royal Family – with Harry and Meghan wanting to protect their son from the scrutiny and give him a normal life.

Even while they were part of the Firm, Meghan made sure Archie’s christening on July 6 2019 was a “completely private affair” at the Queen’s Chapel in Windsor Castle attended by just 22 guests.

While she came under attack for breaking tradition and not allowing the media or the public a glimpse of baby Archie on his special day, Meghan didn’t care, according to the authors of Finding Freedom, Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand.

Instead, it claimed Meghan asked her mum Doria Ragland to message her 76-year-old dad with the news of his grandson.

Authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand then reported that the duchess asked her mother not to tell her if her dad, who lives in the US, replied.

Mr Edwards added that he was not staying in Windsor at the time.

He said: “There was a Royal tour to Germany with the King and Queen and I went with them and couldn’t get away from Windsor quick enough.

“I remember showing Camilla in, I think Munich, the first pictures of Archie that were taken by the Press Association, showing her on my phone.

“And that was the first time she saw him, you know, so it was difficult times.

“I have to say though, you know, that first year, Meghan, that working with her on the road, I mean, you know we went all over the country, she was incredible.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their son in May 2019Credit: The Mega Agency

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Arthur Edwards said he remembers getting excellent pictures after several royal births
“I was saying I thought she was a great asset to the family.

“I kept asking the Palace if we could have a meeting with her – you know, people who cover the Royals, to have a meeting with Meghan like we did with Catherine.

“And you know, introduce ourselves and let her get to know who’s writing about her photographing her.

“And I was assured it was going to happen but it never did.

“And then pretty soon she’d made her mind up that they were going, and that was it.”

Mr Edwards also mentioned the interview the pair did with Oprah Winfrey, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a series of shocking allegations.

The pair sparked a race row by alleging an unnamed member of the Royal Family spoke about “how dark his (Archie’s) skin might be when he’s born”.

During the Oprah interview, Meghan also said she was prevented from seeking mental health support when she was in crisis.

Mr Edwards said: “I knew that the Queen would be seething, I knew that the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles would be seething, it would be so unfair because one thing they are not is racists. They are not.

“I’ve been with the King all over Africa, all over South America, I’ve never seen – only just engaging and enjoying the company of these people.

“So, you know, in no way would he be like that. He’s just a – it’s just an unfair thing to say.