The sex of a royal baby in the lead-up to the birth is not usually disclosed publicly, but it seems the Duke and Duchess of Sussex knew they were having a little boy before Archie arrived in May 2019, according to a new royal biography.
READ: Finding Freedom author clarifies 'secret interview' rumours with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
WATCH: Harry gives first interview after the birth of royal baby
Finding Freedom reveals: "Harry and Meghan already had a name ready to go when Archie was born, because the couple had known all along that they were having a boy. According to a source, they settled on their son's name some time during the final week of her pregnancy."
The book adds that the couple wanted a traditional but powerful name, opting for Archie, which means strength and bravery.
Archie was born on 6 May 2019
The royal biography also appears to confirm that Meghan went past her due date of 28 April, something which is also never usually disclosed with the announcement of a royal pregnancy. At the time, Kensington Palace had said that the couple were expecting their first child in spring 2019.
Archie was born at 5.26am on 6 May 2019 at the Portland Hospital in London. Shortly after his son's birth, Harry gave an interview in Windsor, in which he said that the couple were "still thinking about names," before adding: "The baby was a little bit overdue so we've had a little bit of time to think about it. That's the next bit." The tot's name was revealed as Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor two days after the birth.
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family, £13.60, Amazon
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There was much speculation about the sex of Harry and Meghan's first child in the lead-up to the birth. Fans were convinced that the couple were expecting a daughter after photos from Meghan's New York baby shower were shared by baker Darcy Miller. Royal watchers were convinced that the baby was a girl as the cute cookies that Meghan and her celeb pals nibbled on were revealed, alongside a pink pot of sugared almonds.
MORE: Prince Harry reveals never-before-seen room inside home with Meghan Markle
However Finding Freedom, released on 11 August, says that that the Duchess knew the sex of the baby at the baby shower and "quietly shared that she was expecting a boy with a number of friends at the fete, such as Amal Clooney, who hadn't already been told."
It adds that the colour scheme of the baby shower, coordinated by Jennifer Zabinski of JZ events, who planned Serena Williams' 2017 wedding, featured "blues, pinks, yellows, and greens."
A spokesperson for the couple previously told HELLO!: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not interviewed and did not contribute to Finding Freedom. This book is based on the authors' own experiences as members of the royal press corps and their own independent reporting."
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