(Clockwise, from left) George, 7, Charlotte, 11, Harry, 9, and Archie, 4, Stafford hold images of their royal namesakes. Photo / Peter McIntosh
(Clockwise, from left) George, 7, Charlotte, 11, Harry, 9, and Archie, 4, Stafford hold images of their royal namesakes. Photo / Peter McIntosh
The Stafford children never thought of themselves as being posh.
But now Charlotte, 11, Harry, 9, George, 7, and Archie, 4, are starting to think they must be, because it has become abundantly clear that even members of the royal family are naming their children after them.
When Prince Harry and Meghan yesterday announced their newborn son's name was Archie, there was no one more surprised than Mosgiel parents Jack and Jo Stafford.
"It's a royal flush — what are the chances?"
Jo Stafford said they had not intended to give their children royal names.
"It was just a fluke. We've always just really loved those names.
"First, Prince George came along, then Princess Charlotte — which we thought was just a coincidence. But now Archie ... " she said.
"Once again, like when all the other recent royal babies were named, the first thing I woke up to was the dinging of my phone, with messages from friends who have all heard the news before me.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, present their new son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to the world. Photo / AP
She said Archie was very excited he had the same name as a British royal, and to celebrate, he built himself a crown.
Asked if they planned to have another baby, Stafford said no. But if they did, she would name it Lucy or Freddie. Based on their luck so far, the chances were very high the name would be that of the next royal baby, she joked.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said their son, seventh in line to the British throne, was named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
Mountbatten-Windsor is a surname used by some members of the royal family.
The couple did not choose an aristocratic title for the baby, who is not a prince but could have been given a title with "Lord" before his first name.
The couple did not disclose why they had chosen the names — though the meaning of Harrison, "son of Harry," could be a clue.
Many royal-watchers had expected a more traditional royal name, with bookmakers taking many bets on Alexander, Arthur and James.
Archie is an increasingly popular name in Britain and was among the top 20 most common boys' names in 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The announcement came hours after the proud parents posed for cameras, helping to satisfy a huge global appetite for images and details about their newborn son.
Standing in the vast, red-carpeted St George's Hall at Windsor Castle, Meghan declared baby Archie was "a dream" and called motherhood "magic".
