In Case You're Wondering, Here's How Baby Archie Is Related To The Queen

The world celebrated a week ago when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The newest royal baby, born early morning on May 6, was greeted with congratulatory cheers from around the world. Among the congratulations was Queen Elizabeth II, of course, who was reportedly “delighted” at the birth of the new baby. But how exactly is Archie related to Queen Elizabeth? The Queen is in fact the matriarch of a long line of royals to which Baby Sussex is just the newest addition.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s baby boy is actually the Queen’s eighth great-grandchild, following Prince Louis and Lena Tindall who were both born last year. Prince Harry, Archie's father, is the biological son of Queen Elizabeth’s first and eldest heir, Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall, making Prince Harry Queen Elizabeth’s second grandchild after Prince William.

Following Archie's birth, Queen Elizabeth released a joint statement with other members of the royal family, including Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton, announcing the newborn’s safe delivery.

Most recently, a photo posted on Prince Harry and Markle's official Instagram showed the Queen meeting the newborn for the first time. The black-and-white photo shows the new parents cradling Baby Archie as the newborn's grandma Doria Ragland and great-grandma Queen Elizabeth crowd around.

While Queen Elizabeth clearly adores her grand and great-grand children, she rarely opens up to the public about her relationship with them. The Queen subtly mentioned Prince George, Prince William and Kate Middleton's first son, in a 2013 Christmas speech, saying, "Here at home, my own family is a little larger this Christmas. As so many of you will know, the arrival of a baby gives everyone the chance to contemplate the future with renewed happiness and hope."

In an interview for the historic Our Queen at Ninety documentary aired on ITV, Middleton said that Her Majesty was "really thrilled" at the arrival of Princess Charlotte, Prince George's younger sibling. "I think as soon as we came back here to Kensington she was one of our first visitors here," Middleton said of the Queen, according to the Daily Mail.

The Queen also said in a 2018 Christmas speech that she was "well-occupied" as a grandmother, with weddings and babies all around.

Her newest great grandchild, Archie, will be seventh in line to the throne after Prince Harry, Prince Louis and his two older siblings, Prince William, and Prince Charles (who is number one in line to the throne after the Queen). The newborn is the closest to the throne in the male line without a title, according to TIME, and will never have royal duties or patronages unless his parents decide otherwise. While the Queen could have stepped in and bestowed a title upon the royal baby, according to Newsweek, she most likely will leave the decision up to Markle and Prince Harry, who may choose for him to lead a more private life.

Whether or not Archie will be granted titles such as "Earl of Dumbarton" or "Lord," it is clear that he is already warming the hearts of his royal family, including the Queen, regardless.