Meghan's statement claims palace changed Archie's birth cert

Meghan has released a rare statement over reports she and Prince Harry had her first names ‘Rachel Meghan’ removed from son Archie’s birth certificate.

Archie's birth was registered on May 17, 2019, after he was born on May 6, but a month later, on June 6, the name was changed, though it apparently wasn’t on request from the Sussexes.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Meghan's name was removed from the birth certificate. Photo: Getty

Instead of Meghan’s first names, only “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex” was left on the certificate, a change she claims was initiated by Buckingham Palace.

“The change of name on public documents in 2019 was dictated by The Palace, as confirmed by documents from senior Palace officials,” a spokesperson for Meghan told Page Six.

“This was not requested by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, nor by The Duke of Sussex.”

Initially, it was reported that Harry and Meghan decided to have her first names removed the birth certificate, just months before quitting their roles as senior royals.

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Lady Colin Campbell was the one who spotted the amendment, telling The Sun the change was “extraordinary”.

“[It] raises all kinds of questions about what the Sussexes were thinking.”

'Unprecedented' change to Archie's birth certificate

Originally, some thought the move might have been a nod to Harry’s late mother Princess Diana.

It was thought perhaps Harry wanted his wife’s name to be more aligned with the name his mum always preferred and used, “Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales”.

archie and prince harry
Archie was born in May 2019. Photo: Instagram/sussexroyal

At the time, rumours of a rift between the Sussexes and William and Kate were also rife, and some believed perhaps the change was related, as Kate’s name was left on the birth certificates of her three children.

“For a royal to change a birth certificate is unprecedented but to remove forenames is remarkable,” royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun.

“Perhaps this is another sign they were desperate to do something different to the Cambridges.”

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