By most accounts, the Duchess of Sussex left London within 24 hours after her Commonwealth Day appearance on Monday. She had been away from Archie for nearly a week, and she absolutely missed him. I still think it was a great move in every way to leave Archie in Canada, although I hear you about the “she left Archie with Jessica Mulroney” story. My latest guess is that Doria flew into Vancouver and quietly looked after Archie. Archie’s first birthday is coming up soon, and when we last saw him, he was already a big, strapping baby. I imagine he’s still a very big boy. A source told People Magazine that Archie is “grabbing onto things and picking himself up. He’s starting to have movement, which is really exciting.” Yeah, my guess is that once he starts walking, that child will be a holy terror! In a good way. Meanwhile, Us Weekly says that Meghan has been taking Archie for long walks every day:
Loving life! Meghan Markle has been out and about with her son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, since her and Prince Harry’s move to Vancouver.
“Meghan takes a walk with Archie every single day through the woods,” a source reveals exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly. “She either pushes him in a stroller through the paved trails through the public woods by their home or straps him on and walks the more rustic routes. The walks usually last around an hour or two, but she takes them daily.”
The insider adds that the Suits alum, 38, is “very kind to the locals she meets while hiking,” stopping to chat with people about parenting and the weather. “She’s all around pleasant to strangers,” the source says. “She is telling friends that she is so happy to be out in nature and [in] their secluded area.”
“That look of joy on her face is real,” the source tells Us of the Los Angeles native. “She’s gotten exactly what she wanted.”
I’ll be honest… Meghan is so small, I doubt she can strap him in some kind of back baby-carrier or front-loading carrier and walk for two hours. I mean, she’s fit! She’s in great shape, but Archie is a BIG baby. So I definitely feel like she’s using the stroller. Or maybe Harry is using the carrier. Also: I’m a walker. I love to walk. But it’s harder to walk for a long time when you’re past a certain age, at least it is for me. I used to be able to walk three or four miles every day, uphill, no problem. Now it’s a struggle to get past two miles every other day. I love that Meghan is a walker/hiker and the fresh air has obviously done her a world of good.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Backgrid and Avalon Red.
If she has a good baby carrier, she can definitely walk with him for 2-3 hours. I had an Ergo and wore my 9 month old all over Disney for hours at a clip (we would be in the park for up to 10 hours, but I didn’t wear him the entire time.) And that was 5 years ago, the baby carrier game has changed a lot since then. A good carrier will distribute the weight evenly across your body and while it can get uncomfortable, its not as bad as it looks, even if you are smaller like Meghan.
Anyway – I’m sure she is taking lots of walks. It’s probably refreshing to spend hours in the quiet woods. It’s almost like meditating.
Right. I’m 5ft tall with a small build and I hiked mountains with children up to age 4 strapped on my back.
In those photos of them hiking from a month or two ago I think she had him in a carrier. If she can manage the weight, it’s probably easier than trying to navigate a stroller through the woods.
Agree – I don’t know about carrying babies, but tiny friend (5 foot 1), easily carried a massive rucksack which was almost as big as she was through India on holiday. Plus about ten years later carried a six-year-old on walks in the Peak District – although she said that was pushing it! Similar build to Meghan as well.
Sounds like a great life!
That last sentence was a bit ambiguous…
I am taller-ish but very lean and I used to carry by boy strapped on me up till he turned 14 months. I used to have long walks with him through the woods. He used to have his afternoon naps like that. A stroller is useless while hiking. It was a very good workout. I also felt like it was such a nice bonding time when your child is right next to your heard that I feel like my need to experience and enjoy that was stronger that the weight of my son.
Agreed, I’m 5’ 1” and I can strap my baby on my back and walk long distances. Front carry is super uncomfortable when they’re bigger, but on your back they’re just like a big backpack so if you have a good carrier it’s fine!
A good carrier can make the difference. I remember photos of Crown Princess Mary carrying both twins in a dual carrier. She’s quite slim but didn’t look under strain on that mountain hike.
Agreed. A well-made carrier can make 2 hour walks with a 20+ pound baby relatively easy. There are a number of outdoor equipment manufacturers that make them based on hiking backpack designs – great weight distribution & balance.
I did it all the time when mine was little. We had a young dog that needed a lot of exercise and I wanted to get rid of the baby weight. So as soon as the baby could sit upright, we were off. Kiddo learned to nap in the carrier (used my back/neck/shoulder as a pillow). I would take the dog out for long walks, Kiddo would hang out in the backpack “chatting” with me, playing with my hair, napping, and watching the world from an adult height.
O I miss the days of long walks or stroller or bike rides with my kids! I also mss the night feedings when it would seem only the two of us wake in the world, dimmed lights, music playing quietly. I need a grand baby can you tell?
That sounds wonderful. I remembered how actually all that was nice and exhausting in the same time. Beautiful memories with my baby boy.
Both of my kids hated the stroller as babies. You’d be surprised at how long you can walk with a baby strapped to your chest when it’s the only option.
I miss the taking them for walks while they nap days.
Walking trails/hiking is so good for my mental health. Now that our schools have shut down my kids and I will be taking daily walks, too.
I used to do one in the front carrier, one in a side pack (2 years apart). Later, I got a jogging stroller and it was just the best! I never actually jogged, but my “around the block” is 4 -6 miles of dirt roads depending on where I turned and I did it every day. My first born very fussy in the late afternoon and early evening and walking was the only thing that helped.
I’m so happy they got baby Archie away from that press and family. Raise him out of the spotlight and give him the best life possible because he was not going to have that in England as long as that blackmailing and extorting press had anything to say about it. That whole slave mentality that press has towards Meghan and Archie was and is revolting. It’s like they can’t let go of the Sussexes and Archie and it’s so weird.
I think Archie was the final straw. I think as soon as they realized the press wasn’t going to leave him alone, they started making their plans to leave. The entitlement the press feels towards Archie is so weird, because they do not act that way towards Louis.
Especially after that article came out saying Archie needs to play with his cousins or he will end up a spoiled brat! 1. It confirmed that the tabloid were in bed with the Cambridges. And 2. Those 2 would definitely use Archie as their kids’ scapegoat!! Meghan and Especially Harry were like…hell no! We out out!!!😤
I think the press is traumatized because they’ve never had anyone basically escape from their clutches and leave. Archie is half American and has an African American grandmother and biracial mother, therefore the interest is huge because of that fact and Harry/Meghan are the most high profile couple on the planet. The media is used to control and they have none in regards to the Sussexes. Since the Sussexes aren’t on tax payer dollar anymore, they can’t use the “public”, so now they’ll use “Queen” and “Cambridge Kids” as pressure to trot him out at events. Get ready to see that during the Trooping of the Color.
IMO the unrelenting mistreatment of Meghan during her pregnancy sealed it. The plan to have him not accept a title, the private birth, private christening, not releasing the birth certificate or godparent names. Before he was born, they were already planning to leave.
I think the second the BBC guy called their newborn a monkey, that was it.
Agree Brit —- It bothers me though that this source — obviously local —- has accepted payment to reveal this much info about her and Archie. Revealing her pattern or probable location on a daily basis is compromising their security and adds to the risk. That said, unless this source is following her with a stop watch every day how the hell does anyone but her security team know the specifics of her everyday life. Just because it’s published doesn’t mean it’s true or that a kernel of truth — Meghan was seen walking —- thus we will report she walks 2 hours every day and throw in some catchy details because the public will lap that up. As to the PEOPLE source, I still think these source quotes magazines are coming up with are not from the Sussexes or friends. Everything sourced, I could come up with. Last photo of Archie with her walking showed a big, active baby, and she was overheard in London to say he was active and in to everything. From just that info, I could easily have been that PEOPLE source and said….. “grabbing onto things and picking himself up. He’s starting to have movement, which is really exciting.” The articles out there are just smoke, mirrors, and fluff when it comes to anything to do with their private lives, as far as I’m concerned.
Wholeheartedly agree with this comment.
@Brit, the press would have been just as relentless with him, as they have been with his mother. Just think of the few pictures we have seen of the Cambridge kids. George almost always looks wary, suspicious, unhappy, and sometimes downright terrified. Charlotte, who will probably grow up to be a really spunky little girl, has already shown signs of her personality changing since being papped. The frowns, the sticking out of her tongue, the admonition to the reporters following Louis’ christening that “you can’t come!” with a hard look in her eyes – a lot of that is attributable to age. But I just remember the two of them during the Christmas walk. Those were two kids, ages 6 and 4, who were not happy with what was going on around them. We had tiny glimpses of happy, sunny personalities early on, but that’s not the case now. As they grow older, and become more used to this life they are leading, those personalities will change a lot, but whether for good or better remains to be seen.
I would not recommend Archie playing with the cousins. I am sure they would enjoy all playing together but judging by how aloof Kate was with Meghan and Archie when they were watching polo, Kate would have no part of it. And then Kate’s adoring media/blogs will say how great and perfect the little Cambridges are and make snide comments about Archie. All so horrid.
I think we may underestimate how much losing their rental home affected them. That was their refuge away from not just the media, but the Royal family and courtiers as well.
I love walking. As I have iffy hips, it’s a form of exercise I love the most. Easy to achieve, low impact, and I don’t necessarily have to wear special gear.
I absolutely LOVED my long walks with my kids when they were that age…sometimes in the stroller, sometimes in a carrier. It was our “us” time but they often dozed off on those walks, so it was also my “me” time.
Also, people really need to lay off regarding leaving Archie for under a week! Women, all over the world, have to go back to work and often leave on business trips when their kids are Archie’s age. Why are people mommy-shaming her for that? Mommy-shaming her is mommy-shaming every woman who has to do that.
Heather unfortunately the toxic crew have to have something to nitpick about. Yet these same people were probably silent when Archie was compared to a chimp.
Why would any one think any sane parent would travel with a 10 month old baby when there is a pandemic sweeping the world that puts the very young, the old, and the immune-compromised at special risk. I really think there needs to be some reporter shaming going on.
Reporter shaming!!! Yep. She truly can’t win though, that’s why they left. If she had have brought him she would have been “irresponsible” travelling with a young one during a Pandemic. If she leaves him home, she is heartless and cruel and disrespectful of his Grams who “desperately wants to see him.”
Like Meg said, she thought it would be fair. It’s not … so Harry is gone and I would bet, rather happy about it.
They left.
I think she probably can carry him for this long- if you have a decent baby carrier it’s not bad, and if you are also walking dogs it’s way easier than taking a stroller.
that people thought it was fake, made up by royal reporters
@Kaiser, are you using a different version of login here or is someone trying to co-opt your name?
A two hour walk through the woods everyday sounds like absolute heaven to me.
XO No kidding!!!!!!! XO
Getting away into nature is also good for one’s mental health, especially when under extreme stress. When you get away on your own, all the conflicting voices in your head melt away and what you need, want and know rises to the surface. You begin to understand yourself better and your path become clearer. This is something I think Meghan gets.
Of course, it’s been hinted that Will also loves to take long walks in the woods around Norfolk with Rose. He probably argues that getting away from Kate and Carol is also good for his mental health.
He might not be wrong …
I am a sturdy 5’6” – not tiny, but not built like a linebacker, either. I used an Ergo and wore my kids until they were about 2.5 years old (two of my kids were adopted as toddlers and wearing them facilitated bonding, so I did it even though they could walk). When I first adopted her, I probably wore my daughter for 6-8 hours per day.
There are new unpublished pap photos of her with Archie, the tabloids are just writing stories off those photos pretending to have exclusives
Glad that Meghan’s back home safely with Archie and hopefully Harry will rejoin them soon. And the tabloids made up lies about Jessica watching Archie.
Access Hollywood interviewed Omid and someone posted it on twitter:
https://twitter.com/Sussex98/status/1238385347530121216
Why would it matter if she did leave Archie with Jessica? I have zero doubt that Jessica has a nanny for her kids (and I am not shaming that). It’s completely possible that H&M have a nanny, as well.
Also, it would likely be a safe option to leave Archie with the Mulroney’s; Ben is the son of a former prime minister, so their security is probably quite good.
ETA: All this is to say – why can’t people just leave them alone now?
Thanks for the interview link (note, there’s 5 segments). Omid is quite a good speaker himself.
Thank you A Guest for sharing that. Great interview. Sad about what they had hoped for but were denied the right to step back and we’re instead forced to step down. Really sad considering Andrew appeared in the Royal Court calendar for attending a memorial service on Monday while the Queen was at Westminster Abbey. BP tried to spin it as Andrew attending as a private and personal attendee and yet it was entered into the court calendar like other official royal engagements. (His first mention in court calendar since he was forced out.). Seems his new high powered PR person has also let it be known that Andrew is going to is going to fight to come back as he feels he has done nothing wrong. So, I guess it is turning out it’s A-OK for Andrew to be a part-time working royal. It really bothers me that the Sussexes were punished and demeaned in every petty way possible and the Queen just bends over backwards to allow Andrew to obtain or retain everything she has denied Harry and Meghan.
I really admire Omid for being so direct in print with his article. But I also respect him for trying to be even handed and covering other royals on his Twitter stream. For example, I’m aware of things Camilla does through him, because she isn’t someone I’m looking at otherwise.
From his invitation to Meghan’s event, and what he said in the clip about continuing to cover them, it sounds like he’ll continue to have an inside track on events, etc. that other “journalists” won’t have. So we’ll be getting accurate information. Anyone in the media who shows integrity these days is refreshing, but he also comes across as an intelligent, likable guy in the video.
Re: Andrew, yuk and double yuk. I commented somewhere here a day or two ago – basically, is there any mistake the RF HASN’T made in the last year or so, or a group they haven’t distressed or offended? Believe I had six items (involving POC, the Commonwealth, survivors of sexual assault, people of Asian background, and the military; based on the standing ovation, the Royal Marines aren’t happy to lose Harry). Two of these directly included Andrew – TQ and the smiling church ride, and stripping Harry but not Andrew of military honors.
Looks like there’s going to be more to add to the list.
Taking long walks like that is easy with a good baby carrier. I remember hauling my nearly-2yo on my back through the Baltimore Aquarium for a few hours and it wasn’t that bad. They didn’t allow strollers so you either had to use your own carrier or borrow a backpack one from them. I’m sure those walks are a huge help.
Hey Kate you can learn a thing or two, Meghan doesn’t need to talk the talk she walks the walk! Archie is a lucky baby, he’s got the better mom.
I have serious issues with both William and Kate, but I think they are both good parents.
I beg to differ, after what they have done to Meghan, they aren’t exactly setting a good example. How would they feel if Charlotte was mean girled that way…Meghan is the better parent.
I don’t think william is involved in the day to day raising of the kids as much as Kate is. He has made comments that suggest as much.
The army of nannies is there so Kate can be off working out, shopping, getting her hair done. The kids acting out against her in public repeatedly, her unable to deal, Nanny Maria always in the background in public having to take charge. Neither of them is doing the heavy lifting or work when it comes to parenting.
Not to sound sappy, but I love the way Harry and Meghan look at each other.
I do, too. They look truly in love and like a force to be reckoned with.
I LOVE walking. I live in a city so most of my walking is done on city streets or parks but if I lived in a rural or woodsy area the thing I would enjoy most is going for hikes. And walking is so good for the body AND the mind.
My daughter is Archie’s age, and whilst I can carry her (at the front) for short periods, I could never hike with her anymore. She’s too heavy. And I have a good Ergobaby carrier.
I suppose it would be possible to carry her on my back on a hike. But every day for2 hour would be a real workout!
It always starts like this! Another fanfiction designed to draw up people’s
trust to later accept their smearing campaign against Meghan. No friends of Meghan would share personal details like that.
I thought this was a harmless story until I got to the zinger at the end: ““She’s gotten exactly what she wanted.” The tabloid did not intend that as a compliment.
I agree – it’s a BS article and they even got the location wrong. They’re on Vancouver Island, not in Vancouver.
I think walking is great for mental health and I try to walk for at least an hour 5 days a week.
@Kaiser
Why are you having trouble walking for longer now? I’m 64, started walking 2-3 miles every day five years ago and gradually increased so I now walk up to 10 miles with no problem. I have had hip, knee, and shoulder pains, so what gave me the confidence to keep going was hiking poles (I started with two poles and then used one). With poles you know you can shift your weight to your arms if your legs get tired or if you develop a ‘kink’ anywhere. I highly recommend them. Just be sure to use the rubber tips when on pavement so you don’t get the bone-jarring metal on stone effect.
CORRECTION: This article states that they’re in Vancouver, they are on Vancouver ISLAND, just north of BC’s capital City of Victoria in a town called Saanich.
That bugged me too
‘Vancouver’ area wasn’t good enough for you??
It’s just truly THE wrong place. You know when you live somewhere and you just laugh when people make very easy to understand mistakes? Van or Vancouver is a very, very large, gorgeous Canadian City. Metropolitan. “The Island” is literally an Island … it is NOT Vancouver. There is a huge difference for adult humans who are familiar with the area. I can see where people might question the report.
It’s not the “Vancouver area”, it’s an island. A 2 hour ferry ride to the mainland and another half hour to get to Vancouver. The capital city of British Columbia is…Victoria, on the ISLAND, and in case you don’t know Meghan and Harry are in a town about 30 minutes north of Victoria called Saanich. I live in Victoria so I know. Does that make it good enough for you?
Sorry, but I would have thought ‘how amusing they don’t know the difference, or maybe they are deliberately keeping it vague’. I would not have felt compelled to put out more specifics on their location.
Most everyone, especially the press, already knows their location and have known for months so it’s not an issue of being deliberately “vague” about where they are, it’s just US Magazine not being accurate with their reporting. Quelle surprise….
Is anyone else unnerved by such information being made public? I hope that there is tight security around them, because being alone in the woods as a small woman with a baby isn’t always the safest option with all of the nutjobs out there.
Yes, I find this disturbing. Assuming this is factual (it is US Weekly after all) I am surprised that residents would engage with US Weekly – or any other tabloid or news source, etc. – and provide them with this information. The impression I got is that locals are actually very protective of Meghan and are quite opposed to the presence of paparazzi and tabloid reporters.
We are very protective of Meghan and Harry here (I live in Victoria) and she does take burly security guys with her when she walks through the hiking trails. Local stores and businesses routinely ban press from entering their premises and their neighbours chase photogs away all the time.
I was thinking of you when I wrote my comment, Jaded as I recall what you said previously. I hope the vast majority there are like you.
Jaded, that’s good to hear!
I am not surprised people are still writing about them. I would be surprised if they weren’t.
This is why they need such great security and I don’t give a rat’s butt who pays for it. But knowing Meg … she has it all figured out.
And with her great security she is having a lovely tea and enjoying work and family. 😜
You get used to carrying the weight of your child just like you would get used to using a certain weight in the gym, especially when a child is as young as Archie. Meghan absolutely could use a front baby-carrier (I wouldn’t use a back one in the woods where I couldn’t see what was landing on my baby or make sure something was shading his face from the sun) to carry Archie for 1 – 2 hours.
That top pic is my favorite of all time!! So glad Archie is going to be raised an all-american (or Canadian) boy!!
This what they imagine she does.
Bravo. Otherwise it will be stalking.
H&M have a nanny. At least they did when they were a Frogmore. Did she not come to Canada with them? I really, really don’t believe Jessica Mulroney is leaving her 3 kids and flying 5 hours to babysit Archie for a week. It’s either Doria or the nanny (probably the nanny) watching Archie while H&M are away. Who else thinks they will be leaving Saanich within a few months? I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a 6-month lease on the Saanich house. It’s a great place to hide out and decompress but I don’t see them staying even though I wish they would. I believe they will buy a house in LA and that will be their permanent residence going forward.
@Jaded why do you have the need to give the Sussexes exact location? @Tai stop repeating the town’s name over and over! If you ladies are team Sussex, protect them of future stalkers and crazy people!
Off topic: Why do the British media still cover the Markle brother? Oh geeezz ! He is of no consequence. Always selling her sister to any bidder just for bucks. Yes I know he’s out of job. Sorry to say this but the Markles are horribly cheap and tacky . No wonder Meghan chose to have nothing to do with them at all. They are a big embarrassment!