Birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor: May 6, 2019

[CyrilVladisla]

In England is the baby's father the only person who can register the birth certificate?

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

They did a wonderful job of sneaking in and out of The Portland without anyone finding out at the time!

I thought the same thing, especially given that the Portland is in such a central location and the York princesses were also born there!
I know they're not a British connection, but IIRC Andrea Casiraghi's children were also born at the Portland as they live in Kensington.
I have a friend who works in the maternity unit from time to time. Quite fun to think she works in the same hospital!

 

[ACO]

Because the chances of them setting up shop outside of Portland is a lot less two weeks later than the day of or in the immediate days after. Or hound the medical staff and other patients there.

That is my guess too. We all saw what happened with the doula. It was going to come out. They could wait until the interest died down. People know now. That all needed breaking news they were whining to get. Now it’s out. Everything is the same. Lol

I never understood the hoopla over it.

 

[tommy100]

I honestly have no idea, it didn't make any sense to me from the begining.

I get not announcing it while she was still there but once she and Archie were home why not just announce? The way this and other things around them are handled seem to only add to the amount of stories and rumours rather than the privacy they say they want.

 

[ACO]

Rookie the photographer said there were media at the Portland just in case. Glad they dodged them. Another reason to stay quiet and let a few days pass.

 

[HighGoalHighDreams]

I get not announcing it while she was still there but once she and Archie were home why not just announce? The way this and other things around them are handled seem to only add to the amount of stories and rumours rather than the privacy they say they want.

Absolutely.

 

[JuliannaVictoria]

The birth certificate was not released by the Sussex's, but acquired by the press after it was filed, which tells me the press had probably been contacting all around London and Windsor to see where the birth was registered since the 6th. It also why we are seeing it as a certified copy from the registrar's office.

The Sussex's asked for privacy, and instead of respecting that, everyone makes a big deal over silly things. Everyone knew that the BC would become public knowledge within 42 days. Why couldn't they just wait? It's not the Sussex's who are creating this drama, it's outsiders (the Press, royal watchers, etc). The general public does not seem to care or are very much in line with the Sussex's request as shown in that YouGov poll.

 

[Countessmeout]

Why do they stalk their house and anything else? Its not about simply writing the news. It is about having the Exclusive. Being the one to break any news, no matter how small. The mystery of the hospital, and the confirmation of the debated birthdate, was that news.

 

[muriel]

I honestly have no idea, it didn't make any sense to me from the begining.

I get not announcing it while she was still there but once she and Archie were home why not just announce? The way this and other things around them are handled seem to only add to the amount of stories and rumours rather than the privacy they say they want.

Totally agree. A drama was created for nothing.

 

[Lemon Lyman]

In England is the baby's father the only person who can register the birth certificate?

In the Uk the baby’s father can only register the birth on their own if they are married to the mother. Same with the mother if married she can do it on her own. If the parents aren’t married the mother has to be present. I think also if unmarried and want the fathers name on the birth certificate he needs to be present as well.

 

[Denville]

I get not announcing it while she was still there but once she and Archie were home why not just announce? The way this and other things around them are handled seem to only add to the amount of stories and rumours rather than the privacy they say they want.

It does not seem to occur to them that this sort of thing attracts more talk and interest than if they just made a simple annoucnment, when they announced the birth. Meg was home by then... so they could just as easily have said that the child was born at the Portland..

 

[jacqui24]

It does not seem to occur to them that this sort of thing attracts more talk and interest than if they just made a simple annoucnment, when they announced the birth. Meg was home by then... so they could just as easily have said that the child was born at the Portland..

So then they can set up and report from outside the hospital? That defies the part of the point of not doing a photocall. And let’s be honest. They would just to have something else to talk about in the news cycle.

 

[tommy100]

I actually don't think most the media would have done that, that would have required someone at the Portland and someone at Windsor which seems unnecessary.
To me they could have just announced it the next day and avoided the fuss all round.

 

[jacqui24]

I actually don't think most the media would have done that, that would have required someone at the Portland and someone at Windsor which seems unnecessary.
To me they could have just announced it the next day and avoided the fuss all round.

Photographers were also dispatched to the Portland hospital just in case according to Rookie. And it was from a major newspaper rather than freelancers on their own. They hounded the woman that they thought was Meghan’s doula just because she had the unfortunate luck of being photographed near KP doing something else. And we have her personal account of that. They went to people’s houses offering money for information. How is it beyond them to go to Portland?

 

[tommy100]

But the speculation around where she gave birth was massive and belied the idea of wanting privacy and by not releasing it they ensured the media would go out of their way to find out where she had given birth.

Anywho, the birth is over, time to move on. Clearly they feel settled enough as a family for Harry to sneak out for a few hours to attend Lady Gabriella's wedding.

 

[Biri]

Good that Meghan gave birth in hospital; homebirth for a first-time mother aged 35+ is definitely too risky.

 

[jacqui24]

But the speculation around where she gave birth was massive and belied the idea of wanting privacy and by not releasing it they ensured the media would go out of their way to find out where she had given birth.

Anywho, the birth is over, time to move on. Clearly they feel settled enough as a family for Harry to sneak out for a few hours to attend Lady Gabriella's wedding.

The fact of matter is, the story was so hot that they would’ve gone out of their way to find out anything more. We had the interview from Harry, which was simply golden, and some editors still complained that the Queen didn’t say more at the Order of Merit ceremony for them to fill enough pages.

 

[Somebody]

But the speculation around where she gave birth was massive and belied the idea of wanting privacy and by not releasing it they ensured the media would go out of their way to find out where she had given birth.

Anywho, the birth is over, time to move on. Clearly they feel settled enough as a family for Harry to sneak out for a few hours to attend Lady Gabriella's wedding.

He went to the Netherlands a few days after his son's birth, so there is little reason why he couldn't attend an in-town wedding almost two weeks after his son was born. Most fathers would have been back at work for a week or so (being generous: assuming that they could take off the week of birth) by this time.

 

[Denville]

But the speculation around where she gave birth was massive and belied the idea of wanting privacy and by not releasing it they ensured the media would go out of their way to find out where she had given birth.

Anywho, the birth is over, time to move on. Clearly they feel settled enough as a family for Harry to sneak out for a few hours to attend Lady Gabriella's wedding.

Of course.

He went to the Netherlands a few days after his son's birth, so there is little reason why he couldn't attend an in-town wedding almost two weeks after his son was born. Most fathers would have been back at work for a week or so (being generous: assuming that they could take off the week of birth) by this time.

there would be no problem with his taking a few weeks off to be with his wife and son in the first weeks of his life....

 

[tommy100]

He went to the Netherlands a few days after his son's birth, so there is little reason why he couldn't attend an in-town wedding almost two weeks after his son was born. Most fathers would have been back at work for a week or so (being generous: assuming that they could take off the week of birth) by this time.

I completely agree, I was just pointing out he did go, especially when the media had long speculated he wouldn't attend.

 

[Somebody]

there would be no problem with his taking a few weeks off to be with his wife and son in the first weeks of his life....

Yes, he is indeed in that very privileged position. Most new dads don't have that option. Attending a wedding is always up to the guest, although in some cases someone's absence is less appreciated than in others. In this case, it's nice that he attended but he could easily have decided otherwise (assuming that he isn't that close to his second cousin Gabriella).

 

[Lilyflo]

Yes, he is indeed in that very privileged position. Most new dads don't have that option.

Fathers in the UK can take 2 weeks leave.

 

[Denville]

Fathers in the UK can take 2 weeks leave.

Yes and Harry has not even taken a a full week....

 

[ladongas]

Fathers in the UK can take 2 weeks leave.

Is that paid leave or just time off?

 

[Elenath]

Is that paid leave or just time off?

It’s paid leave.

To qualify for paternity pay you must earn at least £113 a week (before tax). The statutory weekly rate of Paternity Pay is £140.98, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, eg monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted.

 

[King of the Jungle]

Attending a family wedding is not work.
So Harry attending was an easy choice given that he lives next door.

 

[Denville]

still, he does not seem to be spending that much time at home with wife and baby.. and Imsure his fans would not mind him taking a few weeks off..

 

[Lumutqueen]

still, he does not seem to be spending that much time at home with wife and baby.. and Imsure his fans would not mind him taking a few weeks off..

You are KIDDING right?!

He was in Amsterdam for a day? He attended the RWHS for an evening, again in Oxford for a couple of hours (not a long drive from his home if they did indeed drive) and he’s attended a family members wedding today next door to his home. To say that accounts to not having spent much time at home with his wife and child is ridiculous.

 

[DuchessMia]

It is ridiculous, Lumutqueen. Harry has been home a lot. He’s done a few events for a few hours since Archie’s birth. He’s bonding just fine with his son. He knows Archie and Meghan have Doria there with them and a whole phalanx of people up at Windsor if something needs to be done in his absence.

 

[ACO]

Totally agree. A drama was created for nothing.

The only "drama" I saw was the reporters whining. Most the reaction was whatever about it. The baby was here and adorable. I hardly saw anyone really pressed over where she gave birth except the a select media who acted like the world was ending because they didn't know. Truly bizarre.