Did Meghan Markle's Cat Inspire Her and Prince Harry to Name Their Baby Archie?

Investigating the potential meanings behind the royal baby's name

By Cydney Contreras May 10, 2019 8:25 PMTags
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Royal BabyDominic Lipinski/PA Wire

It is no secret that Meghan Markle is a pet-lover, but could her affection for her furry friends run much deeper than originally thought?

Royal watchers are buzzing over the rumor that Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex possibly named her first son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor after her beloved pet cat. According to The Sun, a former friend of Meghan's shared that she once had a cat named Archie, who died while the Duchess was in school in Illinois. "Doria rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household. Meghan loved playing with him and she was always talking about him to her friends," the former close friend shared. "It's no surprise she named her new baby Archie. She loved that cat."

Meghan was so fond of the kitten, she frequently fed him frozen grapes as a treat. The friend said this also led to the cat's weight gain. But who doesn't like a fat cat?

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Baby's Debut

As for the origins of Archie the cat's name, it is believed that he was actually named after the comic book character. Apparently, Meghan and her estranged father Thomas Markle shared a hobby of collecting the comic books. 

Watch: Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Reveal Baby Boy's Name

However, the Duchess' relationship with Thomas remains strained and is unlikely the inspiration behind the adorable moniker. One thing that is for sure is that the name means "brave" and is not known to have any sentimental meaning behind it. The Duke and Duchess have yet to confirm if the official name is Archie or Archibald.

Oddly enough, Archie is said to be Prince George's nickname, but it is unclear if that is simply a rumor. The young prince once told a bystander he is called Archie, however, people are taking it with a grain of salt since he is only 5-years-old. Kids these days!