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THE Queen was reportedly overjoyed when she became a great-grandmother for the eighth time when little Archie was born.

The 93-year-old joked that she wasn't sure she was going to be around to see the day the former partying prince become a dad.

 A lovely photo of the family meeting baby Archie, her eighth great-grandchild,  for the first time
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A lovely photo of the family meeting baby Archie, her eighth great-grandchild,  for the first timeCredit: AP:Associated Press
 The baby is expected to be christened on Saturday at Windsor Castle
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The baby is expected to be christened on Saturday at Windsor CastleCredit: Reuters

Vanity Fair's royal correspondent Katie Nicholl said the queen was 'delighted' when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first baby to the family.

A friend of the family said: "Not so long ago she joked that she probably wouldn’t be around to see Harry have children, but here she is at the age of 93, welcoming another baby."

He met Meghan in summer 2016, proposed in November 2017, got married in May 2018 and welcomed baby Archie in May this year.

Despite launching a joint Instagram account this year and sharing their wedding ceremony with the public, Harry and Meghan have been heavily criticised in the press for keeping Archie's christening and godparents hush.

Buckingham Palace announced that the quiet affair will take place this Saturday in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Archie Harrison's godparents' identities will remain a secret.

SECRET CEREMONY

This comes after it was revealed that a total of £2.4 million of taxpayers money had been spent on refurbishing the Sussex's Windsor home.

Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, moved into their new home in April, a month before baby Archie Harrison was born.

When the Sun last year revealed their planned relocation, officials tried to downplay the cost, saying it would be closer to £1.5million.

But accounts revealed the refurbishment of the property near Windsor Castle cost £2.4million in the financial year to April alone.

A statement, released by Buckingham Palace today, reads: "Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor will be christened in a small private ceremony by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday 6 July.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex look forward to sharing some images taken on the day by photographer Chris Allerton.

"The godparents, in keeping with their wishes, will remain private."

The couple are determined to keep their son a “private citizen”, with sources confirming they plan a media-free baptism.

The service will only be witnessed by around 25 guests, the Daily Mail reported.

It is in stark contrast to Prince William and Kate Middleton who invited the media to the christening of all three of their children, keeping only the ceremony itself private.

Archie - who was born on May 6 - will be two months old when he's doused from the lily font with water from the River Jordan.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall are said to be leading the party, alongside Kate Middleton and Prince William.

It is in stark contrast to Prince William and Kate Middleton who invited the media to the christening of all three of their children, keeping only the ceremony itself private.

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 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen not to reveal the identity of baby Archie's godparents
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen not to reveal the identity of baby Archie's godparentsCredit: Getty - Contributor
 The new parents have also announced they will release official photos from the day sometime in the future
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The new parents have also announced they will release official photos from the day sometime in the future
 The royal couple's home Frogmore Cottage is undergoing a £2.4 million revamp
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The royal couple's home Frogmore Cottage is undergoing a £2.4 million revampCredit: Alamy

 

 

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