Entertainment
Now that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have welcomed their first child, a son named Archie, into their lives, all eyes are on the royal couple as they enter parenthood. Many have taken a stab at guessing what kind of parents the two are likely to be and how the couple will, or won’t, continue royal traditions with the newborn's arrival. If history is any indication, all the ways Prince Harry has honored Princess Diana, his late mother, suggests that he'll be a devoted, thoughtful, and sentimental father to his son.
From sentimental tokens to symbolic representations, Prince harry has had a history of honoring his late mother. Whether it has been at wedding ceremonies or holidays like Mother's Day, Princess Diana's memory has always been present for the Duke of Sussex in one way or another. Although the royal family lost the late Princess to a fatal car accident back in 1997, her memory has been ever-present, especially for her youngest son, who reportedly still mourns the People's Princess' tragic passing. Since then, the Duke of Sussex and new father has been vocal about mental illness and mental health awareness, even going so far as to making a documentary in collaboration with Oprah to tackle the stigma surrounding the issue.
But there are still many other small gestures Prince Harry makes to honor his mother's memory, and here are just a few of them:
Meghan Markle's Engagement Ring
Prince Harry has had a long history of honoring his late mother, Princess Diana. In fact, the Duke of Sussex proposed to Meghan Markle with a ring that included two stones from the late royal's private jewelry collection, according to People.
"It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news," he said in an interview with BBC at the time of their engagement. "But with the ring and everything that’s going on, I’m sure she is with us, jumping up and down somewhere else."
The two even met the press following the engagement in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, according to Parade, which was recently redesigned in memory of Princess Diana.
The Royal Couple's Wedding Details
On the couple’s big day, Prince Harry chose to honor his late mother in a number of ways. Not only did Prince Harry handpick Princess Diana’s favorite Forget-Me-Not flowers from Kensington Palace to include in his bride’s bouquet, according to the palace’s press release, but the couple also asked that charitable donations be made in lieu of wedding gifts, according to TIME. Two of the chosen charities focused on causes close to the late royal’s heart, as USA Today reported, including fighting HIV and AIDS in children and combatting homelessness.
Speeches At The Royal Wedding
Princess Diana’s family has also been involved in the royal couple’s life after her passing. A number of her family members, including all three of her siblings and Prince Harry’s cousins, were in attendance during the royal wedding at St. George’s Chapel last year, according to Entertainment Tonight.
During the ceremony, Prince Harry’s aunt, Lady Jane Fellowes, even gave a reading from the Song of Solomon at the wedding ceremony in honor of Princess Diana’s memory. “Prince Harry and Ms. Markle both feel [honored] that Lady Jane will be representing her family and helping to celebrate the memory of the late Princess on the wedding day,” a statement by the palace read, as reported by Harper's Bazaar.
Baby Archie's Name
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed shortly after Baby Sussex's birth that their newborn's name would be Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
While the newborn's name took many who were expecting a more traditional choice such as Alexander or Arthur by surprise, it could actually be a way to pay tribute to his late grandmother, as People reported. Archibald, or "Archie" for short, was the name of one of Princess Diana's ancestors, Archibald Campbell, the 9th Earl of Argyll of Scotland, according to Entertainment Tonight.
The Duchess Of Sussex's Mother's Day Photo
Most recently, Prince Harry and Markle honored Princess Diana in a Mother's Day post on their Instagram page, @SussexRoyal. In the background of the post, which featured the Duchess of Sussex cradling her newborn son's feet, were, once again, the late Princess Diana's favorite Forget-Me-Not flowers, according to NPR.
"Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered," the post read. "We honor and celebrate each and every one of you."
If how Prince Harry honors his late mother is any indication of how he will be as a father to Archie, the newborn's future will be filled with sentimental and endearing gestures
