Duchess of Sussex gave birth at Portland Hospital in Westminster, royal baby's birth certificate confirms

Meghan Markle gave birth at private Portland Hospital in Westminster, royal baby's birth certificate reveals
Meghan Markle gave birth at private Portland Hospital in Westminster, royal baby's birth certificate reveals

The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to her first child Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at the private Portland Hospital in London, it has been confirmed, after his birth certificate became public record.

The Duchess, whose occupation was listed as “Princess of the United Kingdom”, and Duke had declined to specify the place of birth when they announced news of Archie’s safe arrival, omitting details of the medical team and location.

Today, after the Duke registered his son’s birth with the Westminster registrar, the certificate confirmed the place of birth as the private Portland Hospital.

The factual statement will end the narrative of a home birth at Frogmore Cottage, widely reported to have been the Duchess’ preferred option, and will go some way to shutting down baseless rumours about the circumstances of the birth.

Royal sources had previously emphasised that the Duke and Duchess would not be making the birth certificate readily available through the palace themselves - as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did with their three children - in line with their views on privacy.

But as of today, it became a public document available through the registrar in common with all birth certificates in the United Kingdom.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor's birth certificate - Credit: PA
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor's birth certificate Credit: PA

It lists the Duke as the “informant” who officially registered the birth, and cites the Duchess under her real name of “Rachel Meghan”.

Her occupation was given as "Princess of the United Kingdom", just as the Duchess of Cambridge's was for the births of Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the seventh in line to the throne and an eighth great-grandchild for the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, arrived at 5.26am on May 6, weighing 7lb 3oz.

The Portland is a fully private maternity hospital, with celebrity patients including Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley and Kate Winslet.

The Duchess of York gave birth to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, at the hospital in Harley Street, central London, where a basic birth nowadays begins at £6,100.

Its five star service include waiters serving patients champagne and lobster, although the Sussexes are unlikely to have availed themselves of the full facilities after being admitted in the middle of the night before being safely discharged and at home in Windsor by the following afternoon.

A spokesman for The Portland Hospital said: "Huge congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the birth of baby Archie.

"For reasons of patient confidentiality, we are unable to provide any comment or information."

The duke was at his wife's side during the birth and he later confessed he had only had a few hours' sleep, suggesting Meghan had spent much of the night in labour. Archie was born at 5.26am on Monday, May 6.

Amid surroundings steeped in royal history, Archie made his debut behind closed doors two days after he was born, with a small press pool of only one reporter, one photographer, three cameramen, as well as the couple's own private photographer and a household press officer photographer.

Meghan and Harry were beside themselves with joy giggling and looking into each others eyes as they spoke. The duke gently cradled his son in his arms - in a white merino wool  shawl made by G H Hurt & Son - and could not resist sneaking a peek down at him as he apparently slept.

Asked who the baby takes after, Meghan, who was wearing a white dress, said: "We're still trying to figure that out."

Harry, wearing a light grey suit, said: "Everyone says that babies change so much over two weeks we're basically monitoring how the changing process happens over this next month really. But his looks are changing every single day, so who knows."

Asked how he found parenting, Harry added: "It's great. Parenting is amazing. It's only been two and a half days, three days, but we're just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy."

Meghan added: "He's just been the dream so it's been a special couple of days."

The duke had to leave his son and wife behind as he travelled to Amsterdam to promote the Invictus games. Neither the duchess nor Archie have been seen since the royal photocall on Wednesday, May 8.

Later that day, the couple announced the baby's name by sharing a photograph on Instagram of their new family of three with Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, all smiling at the newborn.

On the same social media platform on May 12, they posted a picture of the seventh-in-line to the throne's feet in his mother's hands to celebrate the Duchess of Sussex's first mother's day.

The caption read: "Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered. We honor and celebrate each and every one of you.

"Today is Mother’s Day in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Japan, and several countries across Europe."

Read more: Foie gras for mum and a beer for dad: What it's like to give birth at The Portland

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