On Monday, May 6, in the wee hours of the morning, Meghan Markle gave birth to a baby boy, who is now seventh in line to the royal throne. The bouncing bundle of joy weighed in at 7 pounds, 3 ounces and, according to Prince Harry, mother and child "are doing incredibly well." Arguably no one was more excited about Baby Sussex's arrival than the proud papa. The absolutely elated new father, going on just two hours sleep, was all smiles and flushed with excitement when he shared his first thoughts on the birth of his son with the press outside Windsor. "It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever possibly imagine," Harry said. "This little thing is absolutely to die for."
The thoroughly modern royal couple announced the newborn's arrival on their Instagram @SussexRoyal (as did the royal family with the traditional announcement placed on an easel outside Buckingham Palace). That was before an "over the moon" Harry commented to the press, capturing the true joy of this long-awaited royal baby. We always knew Harry would wholeheartedly embrace fatherhood, and here are 15 reasons why!
1 | Harry is madly in love with Meghan.
ShutterstockThe prince is a man who has been transformed by love. When announcing the arrival of Baby Sussex on Monday, Harry heaped praise on Meghan telling the press how "incredibly proud" he is of his wife. He endeared himself to mothers everywhere when he said, "How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension."
Harry has supported all the departures from tradition the Duchess of Sussex has initiated, from walking up the aisle alone on their wedding day to her refusal to go along with the royal post-baby photo call hours after the birth of their son. Harry sees Meghan as his equal partner, as evidenced by his willingness to cede the spotlight to her when she speaks out on issues important to her during many of the couple's official engagements. Baby Sussex has been born to a couple who truly loves and respects one another—which is the best thing a parent can give any child.
2 | He'll make fatherhood a priority.
ShutterstockHarry could not contain his excitement over becoming a father, gushing to reporters that the experience of witnessing the birth of his son was "amazing."
Harry has seen from his brother, Prince William, that the greatest legacy one can leave behind is their children. William lives his life as a hands-on father—sometimes even willing to weather criticism for pulling back on royal duties in order to be great at it. Without the burden of being heir to the throne, Harry has a lot more freedom than his brother does and will no doubt use it when it comes to raising his family.
3 | He genuinely likes kids.
ShutterstockThe prince has said, "I get a huge buzz spending time with kids." And it shows. From the famous video of Harry making faces at the toddler who stole his popcorn at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, to the earliest photos of the prince playing soccer with AIDS orphans in Lesotho, Africa during his gap year, his obvious affection and enthusiasm for kids will ensure Baby Sussex get plenty of playtime with his father.
4 | He's been practicing as the "fun" uncle.
When Prince George was born, Harry told reporters his role as uncle was "to make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm's way and to make sure he has fun." Baby Sussex will surely get all that and more from his father.
5 | He's never lost his sense of humor.
Shaun Jeffers/ShutterstockThe prince has said, "I still have a naughty streak too, which I enjoy and is how I relate to those individuals who have got themselves into trouble." That should hold him in good stead with his own son. One of his favorite and often told anecdotes about Princess Diana is when he was just a boy his mother told him that it was okay to be naughty, "as long as you don't get caught."
6 | He's okay with PDA.
ShutterstockAs we've seen from the touchy-feely (at least for a royal) way he is with Meghan, it's safe to assume Harry will lavish his son with affection. ("I'm very good with hugs," he's said.) It's one of the things he remembers most about his own mother. "She smothered us with love, that's for sure," said Harry of Diana. "She would just engulf you and squeeze you as tight as possible. She brought a breath of fresh air to everything that she did." Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
7 | He loves his own parents.
ShutterstockAs everyone knows, Harry was incredibly close to Diana. He also has good relationship with Prince Charles—which has gotten even better since Meghan's joined the family.
In 2017, Harry said in a BBC documentary, "[Our dad] was there for us—he was the one out of two left, and he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after." His positive relationship with his own father and his understanding of the importance of having a strong relationship with him will undoubtedly help him with his own son.
ShutterstockShutterstockShutterstockShutterstock8 | He is his mother's son.
9 | He's a good role model.
Like Meghan, Harry was raised to understand the importance of helping others. "We don't want to be just a bunch of celebrities, but instead use our role for good," he said in 2017. "You've got to give something back. You can't just sit there." It's clear that Harry and Meghan want to do more than shake hands and cut ribbons—they want to be a force for good. This is sure to be something they impart on their son.
10 | He wants to raise his son out of the spotlight.
Prior to Baby Sussex's arrival, Harry and Meghan left Nottingham Cottage, a two-bedroom home on the grounds of Kensington Palace, to the newly renovated Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. The couple has said repeatedly that they want to raise their children outside the royal fishbowl and judging from the way they handled the birth of their son, they will continue to fiercely protect their family's privacy.
11 | He's a feminist.
Wikimedia Commons/The White HouseHarry married a proud feminist, who once told a crowd that the prince shares her views on female empowerment. He has called himself a "feminist" before and has said, "Real men treat women with the dignity and respect they deserve." A great message for his son and a great example for his—perhaps—future daughters!
12 | He's a team player.
ShutterstockAs any parent knows, children—even royal ones—have to learn how to work well on teams in all kinds of settings. Harry has always been just another one of the lads on the polo field, and he's said he learned the true meaning of teamwork from his decade serving in the army. "'Prince Harry' was sort of pushed aside, mainly by me, but also by them," he told CTV of his time in the military. "When you wear that uniform, you're part of that team." Those lessons will come in handy when he has to teach his own son about working with others toward a common goal.
13 | He loves sports and the great outdoors
ShutterstockIn the hyper-competitive royal family, Harry is said to be the best athlete of the bunch—and that's saying a lot. His love of all kinds of sports—from polo to swimming to soccer—is surely something he'll want to pass down to his son. Baby Sussex has a father who will certainly be able to coach him in any sport he likes. Reportedly, Meghan's even gotten Harry into yoga, so the entire family will be able to stay in fine form as they grow.
14 | He understands many of the issues kids face.
ShutterstockHarry has said that he empathizes with children dealing with difficulties because of what he went through when Diana died. "I knew there would always be a gaping hole that could never be filled," he said in 2015 of losing his mother during a speech at the Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho. "The children at the center were far younger than me, and of course, their situation was a great deal more challenging than my own. Nonetheless, we shared a similar feeling of loss, having a loved one—in my case a parent—snatched away so suddenly.”
Hopefully, Baby Sussex will not have to deal with such tragedy. But whatever struggles he does face, he will undoubtedly find a sympathetic and understanding listener in his father.
15 | He wants to live a normal life.
ShutterstockWell, as normal as one can be as a member of the royal family. Harry and Meghan have a great deal more latitude in how they live life as a family than William and Kate Middleton do because, barring any extremely unusual circumstances, Harry will never be king. Harry and Meghan have already taken the first step by moving out of London and are rumored to be considering hiring an American nanny. It's also possible the couple won't want a title for their son (like his cousin Zara Phillips). And with a grandmother in America (Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland), there's a distinct possibility Harry and Meghan's children may spend summer vacations in California or another part of the United States. And for more on Harry and Meghan, check out 15 Ways the Young Royals Are Changing The British Monarchy.
Diane Clehane is a New York-based journalist and author of Imagining Diana and Diana: The Secrets of Her Style.
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