Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have never been afraid to do things their own way. They named their royal baby Archie, hello! So it's not surprising that their baby's first photos differed from Kate Middleton and Prince William's, but it is interesting to see exactly how.
Meghan and Harry welcomed their first baby on May 6. The baby, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, weighed 7 lbs., 3 oz.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex waited two days to reveal the new baby to the world. They chose to make their public debut as a family back at home at Windsor Castle, after they'd had the chance to privately enjoy their new baby.
In comparison, Kate and William appeared for the press just hours after each of their kids was born. They held a photo-call for a larger group of journalists right on the steps of the Lindo Wing, where Kate gave birth.
There were other differences between the two royal couples. For example, Harry held the baby the entire time with Meghan by his side, while Kate was primarily on baby-holding duty during each of her photo-calls.
See how the Sussex and the Cambridge photos compare to each other below!
Baby Archie is only just over a week old, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's parenting experience has already differed from Kate Middleton and Prince William's in a number of ways.
That makes total sense, because the Sussexes and the Cambridges play different roles within the royal family. Kate and William's kids are heirs to the throne, while Harry and Meghan's new little boy is not.
That's why Archie doesn't have a royal title (yet, anyway). His cousins, though, are all princes and princesses, next in line to the throne after their dad, William. There are definitely stricter expectations when you're the mother of a prince(ss)!
Unlike Kate and William, Meghan and Harry chose to keep their son's birth very private. They didn't reveal where Meghan gave birth or exactly when. They waited until a couple of days after the birth to appear for a photo-call and interview.
By contrast, Kate always appeared for photos just hours after giving birth to all three of her children.
Princess Diana started that tradition, which seems truly A LOT to ask of a woman who just gave birth!
The fact that Meghan looked so put-together two days after having a baby is impressive. But to appear in heels and makeup just hours after having a baby?! How does Kate do it?
Another difference: Kate and William appeared with their baby right outside of the hospital. By contrast, Meghan and Harry appeared at Windsor Castle, where they live at Frogmore Cottage and where they exchanged vows.
Kate and William also spoke to a much larger group of journalists as compared to Meghan and Harry.
And then there was perhaps the most noticeable difference: who held the baby.
Harry held baby Archie for the entire time that the couple appeared before the press. Meghan stood next to him and touched the baby and her husband reassuringly.
Kate, on the other hand, held her newborn for the majority of the time; she and William switched off only for a bit. This was the case for all three of her photo-calls.
The couples do have some commonalities, though. They both chose to wrap their babies in ivory blankets, leaving their heads free so that photographers could take a peek.
Also, both couples looked adorable and ecstatic about their new babies. Harry and Meghan kept making loving eye contact with one another, and Kate and William tended to do the same thing.
Meghan and Harry's choice of name definitely strayed from royal tradition, though. Archie isn't exactly the traditional royal name that most fans were expecting, but it's a cute and relatable choice!
We'll have to see whether Meghan and Harry follow in Kate and William's footsteps as Archie grows older. There are all sorts of expectations for royal babies — including portrait sessions and christenings and godparents — and the Sussexes will likely be compared with the Cambridges on every front.
In the meantime, Meghan and Harry are likely just enjoying their bundle of joy as much as possible.
