The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first child, Archie, in May 2019. Given their tumultuous relationship with the media, the pair took their time revealing details about the christening and his godparents.
According to the New York Times, the couple intends to raise their children as private citizens rather than public figures. Despite the fact that the ex-royal couple currently resides in Montecito, California, among celebrity neighbors including Oprah Winfrey, Ariana Grande, and Ellen DeGeneres, their children’s godparents are all from the United Kingdom. They chose two godfathers and one godmother who had all played significant roles in Harry’s life. So, who exactly are they?
Who Is Archie’s Godmother?
Tiggy Pettifer née Leege-Bourke was chosen as Archie’s godmother by Harry and Meghan. Pettifer was the nanny to Princes William and Harry from 1993 to 1999, according to Harpers Bazaar. The late Princess Diana tragically died in 1999, therefore this covered a tough period in their lives. Pettifer has maintained a close relationship with Harry throughout the years and was there at his wedding to Meghan Markle in 2018. According to the New York Times, Prince Harry and Prince William are godfathers to her sons, Fred and Tom.
Who Is Archie’s Godfather?
Archie has two godfathers, which is unusual. According to Harpers Bazaar, Harry’s boyhood pal Charlie van Straubenzee was the first to be named. He is the prince’s oldest friend, and they met at Ludgrove Prep School. According to Cosmo, when van Straubenzee married in August 2018, Harry was his best man. In return, Harry requested van Straubenzee to be one of his ushers at his own wedding the following year.
Archie’s second godfather is Mark Dyer, according to Refinery 29. According to The Sun, he is a mentor and close friend to Harry, and the two have often been pictured together over the years. He even helped Harry establish his charity, Sentebale.
The organization helps children and adolescents in Lesotho who are dealing with their HIV or Aids diagnosis. This builds on his mother’s critical work in changing public perceptions of the condition. According to the Daily Mail, the two are quite close, and Harry even refers to Mark as his “second dad.”
When Was Archie Christened?
As per Express, Archie was christened two months after his birth, in July 2019. Only 25 people were in attendance during the ceremony, which took place in a private chapel at Windsor Castle. The queen did not attend as well as Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge’s children, according to the BBC.
A Royal spokesperson said of the christening: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to share the happiness of this day, and would like to thank everyone around the world for their ongoing support. They feel so fortunate to have enjoyed this special moment with family and Archie’s godparents.”
Instead of hiring press photographers, the couple enlisted Chris Allerton to photograph the event, which they then published on their official Instagram account. At Harry and Meghan’s wedding, Allerton was also the photographer.
