On May 6, 2019, the world erupted with excitement and celebrations with the news that a new baby boy had been born into the royal family. Everyone had been on edge about the baby’s gender, name and birthday. Two days later, following tradition, the couple announced his name- Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Everyone swooned over the name, particularly Riverdale fans, but some are left to wonder, what does the rest of his name mean and what role will this baby exactly have in the royal family? 

Archie is a much more popular name in Britain than in America, but many were shocked by both names (Archie and Harrison) as they were nothing like they were expecting. Archie was commonly used as a nickname for Archibald, but recently the name is more popular on its own. Harrison, fittingly, means “son of Harry” and of course, little Archie is son of Prince Harry. As for Mountbatten-Windsor, the very royal sounding part of the name, it is kind of like the last name of all the royals. It was adopted in the 60s by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The Queen’s “last name” was Windsor and Philip took the surname of his uncle Louis Mountbatten.  

As for baby Archie, the chance of him becoming king are slim to none as he is seventh in line to the throne. Archie is in line behind his grandfather, Prince Charles (who is the longest waiting monarch to take the throne), his uncle Prince William, and his three children, Archie’s first cousins; George, Charlotte and Louis, then his father Prince Harry and then him. Unless there was some royal catastrophe, Archie does not have to worry about being king.