Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently revealed how their three-year-old son Archie loves spending his time at their home in Montecito, California and his hobbies are delightfully surprising.
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From petting farm animals at their very famous neighbour's home to Archie's favourite party activities, fruit picking and even the non-traditionally royal skills that Prince Harry has developed during their father and son bonding time, we take a closer look at Duchess Meghan's insights from her interview with The Cut.
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Petting mini pigs
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex already revealed to Oprah Winfrey last year that they have a chicken run at their home, but they have since formed a very close bond with their neighbour Victoria Jackson who owns a vast ranch populated by farm animals. The former makeup artist and entrepreneur often invites the Sussex children to her Santa Barbara farm.
Meghan says that Archie and their one-year-old daughter Lilibet Diana have enjoyed spending time there, telling The Cut that "the kids have been over to pet Jackson’s mini-pigs."
© Photo: iStockInteracting with animals is brilliant for childhood development
Meghan celebrated her 41 birthday at Victoria's property in August, so Archie must have been delighted to run around the sprawling 'petting zoo.'
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Bouncy castles
Like all toddlers, the Sussexes' eldest child loves attending classmate's birthday parties, and Archie has had a splendid time diving into bouncy castles - with Meghan joining him!
© Photo: AlamyBouncy castles are a classic
In fact, Meghan confessed to The Cut that when the family arrived at one of his friend's birthday parties recently, "everyone was surprised". One mother wasn't sure if she was allowed to join them inside but Meghan encouraged her to follow suit.
Dancing to Prince Harry's beatboxing
Whenever Archie or Lilibet are a little groggy from a nap or anyone needs a pick-me-up, Harry loves to beatbox and it seems Archie loves dancing along too.
© Photo: TwitterHarry's memorable mic drop gag during the Invictus Games broadcast
Meghan's latest bombshell interview saw Harry dancing to his own beatboxing like it was the most natural thing, with the whole family joining in on the fun.
No doubt Archie will have something in common with his uncle Prince William since Harry and William both love rap so much that they invited Kanye West to be part of the 'Concert for Diana' lineup back in 2017, which took place in honour of their late mother.
Fruit picking
With the Sussexes now living in Santa Barbara, which at one point produced 40 per cent of all fruit in the United States, it is no wonder that little Archie has taken to fruit picking.
© Photo: iStockCalifornia offers the ideal climate for growing your own fruit
Archie will gleefully arrive at his school gates with "a week's worth of freshly picked fruit for his fellow classmates."
The most abundant produce around the family home in Montecito are citrus fruits, figs, avocados and bananas, but the easiest fruits for little hands to pick are prickle-free mulberries.
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The Sussexes are getting stuck into life in California and with Harry taking up tasks such as fixing his neighbour Victoria Jackson's sprinklers, we are keen to see what hobbies and skills Archie learns next!
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