Meghan Markle and Prince Harry named Archie after army hero and his mentor who got him deployed in Afghanistan
PRINCE Harry named his son Archie after his former Army commanding officer – the man who got him deployed in Afghanistan, the Sun on Sunday can reveal.
The loyal Duke of Sussex is said to have been inspired by Major Tom Archer-Burton — known as Archie — who also travelled with him through Africa on a charity expedition.
According to friends, Harry, 34, credits Archie with saving his military career and helping him serve his country.
Last night a source said: “It’s well known in Army circles, and Archie’s inner circle, that baby Archie is a nod to him.
The two men are incredibly close and struck up a uniquely close bond while serving together. Archie was Harry’s rock, and he was the one instrumental in getting him sent to Afghanistan which was always Harry’s dream — to serve on the front line.
“The two men have stayed in regular contact, and Archie has met most of Harry’s family including Meghan.
After threatening to quit the Army, it was Archie who convinced him to stay on
“It’s an incredible honour but Archie is an incredibly modest chap, and won’t be making a big deal of it.”
In October, the 41-year-old Surrey-born officer — who attended Harry’s wedding to Meghan last May — was awarded a Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.
He is a devoted Christian and last June he cycled 120km through Kenya raising money for charity.
He also attended Prince William’s wedding, and was seated near Boris Johnson at his nuptials to Kate Middleton in 2011.
Archie’s most important role in Harry’s life came at the lowest moment in the Prince’s military career — when he was told at the eleventh hour that he could not serve his country in Iraq.
The Household Cavalry’s Blues and Royals second lieutenant was horrified when military top brass said he wouldn’t be able to join his men for a six-month deployment to Basra in the spring of 2007.
I saw first-hand how close Harry was to his senior officer
Duncan Larcombe
After threatening to quit the Army, it was Archie who convinced him to stay on and later helped secure a secret deal to keep his deployment to the battle zone out of the media.
Archie — a married father of three — was also fundamental in the Burnaby Blue charity mission that saw Harry and a team rebuild a school in Lesotho, southern Africa.
As one commentator at the time remarked: “Archer-Burton is the only man capable of telling Lt Wales to do press-ups or stand on one leg for as long as he feels necessary.”
Last night former Sun Royal Editor Duncan Larcombe, who accompanied Prince Harry on that trip, said: “I saw first-hand how close Harry was to his senior officer.
“It was a very low point in his life because he felt as though everything he’d trained for had been a waste of time.
Harry entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 2005
“Archie convinced Harry to stay in the Army and I’m delighted that Harry has named his son after someone who played such an important role in his life.
“The Harry we see today is so different from the angry, frustrated royal we could have seen had it not been for an officer who calmed him down at a point in his life when he could well have given up on his military career.”
Harry entered the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 2005 and was commissioned in the Royals and Blues the following year.
Known as Officer Cadet Wales, in 2007 he was due to be deployed in Iraq before the then head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, announced it would not go ahead over concerns Harry would be regarded as a high-value target.
In 2008 he served for ten weeks in Afghanistan and became the first member of the Royal Family to serve in a war zone since his uncle Prince Andrew flew helicopters in the Falklands War in 1982.
Harrison 'Meg nod to Beatle'
By James Beal
MEGHAN’S etiquette teacher believes her baby’s middle name Harrison is a tribute to her favourite Beatle.
Edmund Fry, who taught the Duchess how to take tea with the Queen, said: “She has a great fond feeling for George Harrison and that’s where that name came from. She’s a great fan of The Beatles.”
Like guitarist George — who died in 2001 — Meghan is a big advocate of daily meditation.
Expat Edmund, who has a tea house in LA, says he is thrilled about Meghan’s baby.
He went on: “I’ve never seen the Queen smiling like the way she’s been smiling for the last few days. It’s magnificent.”
Meghan may have also agreed the name — which means 'brave' — in memory of her mother's beloved rescue cat
In 2013 it was announced that Harry was returning from a 20-week stint in Camp Bastion where he had served as an Apache co-pilot.
He also admitted to firing on and killing members of the Taliban during operations to support ground troops and rescue injured Afghan and Nato personnel.
The Prince said at the time: “If there’s people trying to do bad stuff to our guys, then we’ll take them out of the game, I suppose.
“Take a life to save a life . . . the squadron’s been out here. Everyone’s fired a certain amount.”
Earlier this week Harry and Meghan, 37, confirmed that the young royal — full name Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor — will not be given a title.
The Sun also revealed that Meghan may have also agreed the name — which means “brave” — in memory of her mother Doria Strickland’s beloved rescue cat.
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MEGHAN and Harry may not be as sleep-deprived as many new parents — thanks to £50,000 spent soundproofing their new home.
They carried out the noise-blocking work on Grade II-listed Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Park to reduce the sound of Heathrow jets which travel on the 14 flight paths that pass within a mile of their new home every 30 minutes.
But the soundproofing, said to have included triple-glazing, could also mean less chance of little Archie being disturbed by noise.
Extensive renovations carried out to turn the cottage from flats into a family home are said to have cost around £3million, which was covered by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant.
It is thought Harry and Meghan paid for the soundproofing.
- Additional reporting: DAVID WILLETTS, Defence Editor, and RACHEL DALE
SUN ON SUNDAY SAYS
MEGHAN’S former teacher says her love of The Beatles is the reason she chose Harrison as their baby’s second name.
What a good thing she was so fond of that particular member of the Fab Four.
Even in the modern Royal Family, the Queen might raise an eyebrow at Archie Ringo.
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