The nation had to wait weeks for a glimpse of baby Archie, but I gather there’s one person who has been his pal from his very earliest days – Meghan’s hairdresser James Benoit.
James was one of the first people to meet Archie when Meghan was holed up in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor after the birth, and he has apparently formed a good bond with the five-month-old.
James works with George Northwood, who dressed Meghan’s hair for the evening reception at her wedding. But when George is busy, James steps in and he now spends most days whizzing up the M4 from London to Windsor to help Meghan looks super-stylish.
Meghan’s hairdresser James Benoit was one of the first people to meet Archie when Meghan was holed up in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor after the birth
James has apparently formed a good bond with the five-month-old. Archie is pictured on his mother Meghan’s lap during a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Mrs Tutu at their legacy foundation in Cape Town last month
James and George – who accompanied Meghan on her recent tour of Africa – never breathe a word about their client other than to say how down-to-earth she is.
Celebrity hairdresser Northwood, who counts the likes of Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley among his clients, appears to have become Meghan’s go-to for important royal engagements.
Kensington Palace has confirmed the hair stylist is being privately paid for by the Duke and Duchess.
Northwood, who has been photographed with the rest of the couple’s entourage – including during the tour to Sydney last year, has been extremely discreet since styling Meghan’s hair for her wedding reception at Frogmore House.
He has not spoken publicly about styling Meghan’s hair, or made any reference to his famous client on his Instagram page.
However, YOU magazine editor Jo Elvin – who is herself one of Northwood’s clients – revealed that he had text her after the wedding, saying that he wasn’t able to ‘breathe a word’ about being chosen for the job ahead of the big day.
Meghan followed the Duchess of Cambridge’s lead in having a hair stylist accompany her on her first major royal tour.
Northwood, who has been photographed with the rest of the couple’s entourage (circled in red) – including during the tour to Sydney last year, has been extremely discreet since styling Meghan’s hair for her wedding reception at Frogmore House
Archie made his first proper public appearance during the couple’s tour of Africa – and the Duchess of Sussex revealed the schedule for her first trip was based around a special person in her life – baby son Archie’s feeding times.
In an interview given on the penultimate day of Meghan and Harry’s visit to southern Africa, the duchess also said she missed her husband ‘so much’ while he was away on a solo tour of the region.
She described being in South Africa for the first time as a ‘really powerful’ experience – and speaking about her formal role with the Commonwealth ‘family’ said the platform that came with the position was something she took ‘incredibly seriously’.
Quizzed about how the trip has been as a family, Meghan replied: ‘On my goodness, well, we’re doing well. I think the schedule – they have been very kind to me, because everything is based around Archie’s feed times.
‘So it’s a full plate, but we’re making it work. It’s worth it.’
Royal fans were delighted to get a better look at Baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor as he accompanied his parents the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during a royal engagement in Cape Town, South Africa
Archie made his first royal engagement in South Africa, as royal fans swooned over how cute he was
Archie was seen once on the trip – when the duke and duchess visited Archbishop Desmond Tutu – and he appeared a happy, giggling baby.
At almost five-months-old, the royal baby is likely to be breast fed – which would dictate his mother having to be close by.
Archie made an impression with the Archbishop’s daughter who joked the young royal favoured ‘ladies better’ when she caught him glancing in her direction and Meghan declared ‘he likes to flirt’.
The royal baby, who had only been seen twice in public since his birth, stole the show by giggling, smiling and captivating the spiritual leader who said he was ‘thrilled’ by the ‘rare privilege and honour’ to meet the royals.
Proud parents Harry and Meghan told the retired Archbishop how their son was very active and seemed to understand much of what was going on, despite his age.
The 87-year-old cleric and his daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, spent half an hour with the couple and Archie at the historic premises of his Legacy Foundation in Cape Town, the Old Granary, a restored centuries-old edifice built by slaves.
The group laughed and giggled as they watched the duchess take her son’s arms and dance with the young royal who wore dungarees, a top and socks.
Best foot forward! Prince Harry and Meghan posted this photo to their Sussex Royal Instagram account in May; the photo showed Archie Harrison’s feet being held by the Duchess of Sussex’s hand in front of a flourish of forget-me-nots, one of the late Princess Diana’s favourite flowers
Harry said about his son: ‘He’s so busy, constantly wanting to stand,’ with Meghan adding ‘exploring’.
The first day of the tour saw Meghan and Harry visit a Cape Town township where she spoke for the first time publicly as a royal about being a ‘woman of colour’ and met young women benefiting from an initiative teaching them self-defence and confidence.
Asked, as a woman of colour, if she brought something new to how the royal family engages with South Africa, she replied: ‘The Commonwealth is a very diverse place with 53 countries, and so being a part of this family, and the platform that comes with that, is an incredible responsibility that I take really seriously.
‘Being able to be in Africa and South Africa – it’s my first time being in this country – has been really powerful, and Harry has continued on in a couple other countries – we are reuniting today, which I can’t wait for, I miss him so much!’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex in May posted an adorable photograph of baby Archie Harrison – showing his feet as Meghan, 37, celebrates her first mother’s day with her son.
The adorable single image shows the newborn’s two tiny wriggling feet being gently held by the Duchess of Sussex’s hand, with forget-me-nots – Harry’s mother Princess Diana’s favourite flower – clearly visible in the background.