Prince William and Kate mark Archie's first birthday with throwback photo

Rebecca Taylor
·Royal Correspondent
Updated ·3-min read
NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERICAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER AFTER 31 DECEMBER, 2019 WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM ROYAL COMMUNICATIONS. NO CROPPING. Copyright in this photograph is vested in The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Publications are asked to credit the photographs to Chris Allerton. No charge should be made for the supply, release or publication of the photograph. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. This official christening photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows the Duke and Duchess with their son, Archie and (left to right) the Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Ms Doria Ragland, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle.
The Cambridges shared a picture from Archie's christening. (Press Association)

Prince William and Kate have wished their nephew Archie a happy birthday as he celebrates turning one in lockdown in California.

Archie, the first son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, turns one in Los Angeles, and is the fourth royal to mark their birthday in lockdown as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.

William and Kate shared a picture from Archie’s christening in July 2019 alongside a message saying “Wishing Archie a very happy first birthday today!”

The Cambridges won’t have seen their nephew since before Christmas, when Harry and Meghan opted to take a sabbatical in Canada over the festive season instead of spending it with the Royal Family in Sandringham.

When they returned to the UK in March for their final engagements, Archie stayed in Canada.

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Read more: How Archie's LA life with Harry and Meghan will be different to his other royal cousins

The Royal Family and Clarence House also shared pictures and messages for the youngest royal.

Alongside a photo of the Queen and Philip meeting Archie, the Royal Family said: “Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today!

“Archie is The Queen’s eighth great-grandchild.”

Prince Charles, Archie’s grandfather, also shared a picture of him with the one-year-old, being held by Prince Harry at his christening.

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The message read: “A very Happy Birthday to Archie, who turns one today.

“This photo of Archie and his grandfather was taken following his christening in July 2019.‬”

Harry and Meghan have promised royal fans a new photo of their son to mark his first birthday.

While he became the youngest royal to be taken on a tour, accompanying his parents to South Africa at just four months old, he is rarely seen in public.

Read more: Archie Mountbatten-Windsor turns one: 12 pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan's son

His birthday on Wednesday will likely only be spent with his parents, as strict stay at home orders are still in place across California.

Archie joined his parents on a video call with the Queen when she marked her 94th birthday in lockdown in Windsor Castle on 21 April, so there might be some video calls made to family in the UK on his birthday too.

Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland lives close by in Los Angeles, but she won’t be able to see her young grandson face-to-face either.

Archie was born on 6 May, 2019 at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and a few days after his birth his parents proudly showed him to the world, before the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh saw the infant for the first time.

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