Last week, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor celebrated his second birthday. We honestly don’t know how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex marked Archie’s birthday privately, because they kept the focus on what people could do publicly, which was donate to get vaccines to developing nations. According to Us Weekly, Meghan, Harry and Archie spent the day privately at home, and Archie got a lot of presents:
It’s his day! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wanted their son, Archie, to feel heaps of love on his 2nd birthday — and his last before he’s a big brother.
“While Harry and Meghan are raising Archie to be grounded, they go the extra mile on his birthday,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. “They made [his] card themselves and wrote a sweet poem inside, splashed out on gifts — including outdoor toys — and have bought him the cutest birthday outfit!”
The twosome have tried to keep Archie out of the public eye since stepping back from their senior royal duties in March 2020 and planned on “spending the day privately” at their home in Montecito, California. Still, the charitable pair couldn’t resist setting an example for their son.
“They want Archie to grow up understanding the importance of giving back,” the source adds. “Harry and Meghan feel so blessed to have such an articulate and caring child. Archie is learning to count already and keeps saying, ‘Two!’”
A poem for a two-year-old? Well, Meghan will be able to get a book out of the poem she wrote Archie (like she got The Bench from a poem she wrote to Harry). Meanwhile, Archie is probably happier about the toys and hanging out with the dogs.
Archie’s b-day wasn’t the only holiday they celebrated in the past week: Meghan and Harry also did something special for Mother’s Day. They highlighted the work of Harvest Home, an LA-based organization which offers support to pregnant homeless women. The Archewell site featured information about Harvest Home’s work and then the Harvest Home Instagram announced that Archewell had partnered with Procter & Gamble to donate “diapers, cleaning supplies, and other essential items to ensure that the moms and babies at Harvest Home are celebrated all throughout the year.” Meghan wrote a personal note to the organization, which they transcribed on their IG:
“As a mom, and an expectant mom, I deeply appreciate the significance of community support, safe and accessible pregnancy resources, and trusted guidance in a nurturing setting. These ingredients are essential to not just our physical health, but our mental well-being, and I commend you for leading a compassionate community that lives these values.”
“Thank you for all you do for the women and mothers who are turned away elsewhere, at no fault of their own. When we consider how vulnerable any mother feels during the fragile time of pregnancy, we gain perspective about how especially difficult it can be for pregnant women of color and those who come from under-resourced and vulnerable communities. I hope you will accept an offer of support to help further uplift Harvest Home’s residents.”
[From Meghan’s letter to Harvest Home]
It’s really great that Meghan and Archewell are doing this, and to partner with such a big corporation for local impact is pretty great too.
Screencaps courtesy of ‘Vax Live’.
All action and results from these two. I love them.
You can see why the staff at KP had issues working for Meghan and Harry. The Sussexes are always working. As for the US weekly piece, it sounds like Katie Nicholl was their source.
Sounds like nobody knows how they bday was celebrated privately.
EXACTLY! Very few people have any idea how Archie’s birthday was celebrate. Those who do know are not and would not talk about it, especially to US Weekly.
The author of this article is jut writing what they are paid to write.
I so agree with everything you said. Was also thinking Katie Nichols
Looks like Meghan and Harry have put together a good management team. Projects identified, plans completed, good PR announcements. Impressive.
I love this. They’re highlighting important work and partnering with major corporations to extend their reach.
AND it’s released BY the charity that it is intended to help. There are no kiss-ass minions running around, tooting prematurely: “Look what is GOING to happen…SOMEDAY…. WE’RE “KEEN”!!!…LOOK-A-HERE!”.
And of course they’re going to give him “lots of presents”, he’s a two year old, and I”m sure they love to “spoil” him on his birthday and Christmas.
When my nephews were tiny, we had one family rule: You could *only* “spoil” the boys with just “fun” stuff on birthdays and Hanukkah (other times of the year, they got books, clothes, things like that). And yes, I was the one in the family who made the handmade cards (WITH poems) for each boy. My sister put them away for the kids until they were older and could “appreciate” them lolol (I got a “Hey, thanks Auntie Jan….”), they got put down and forgotten (or thrown out lol).
Good on H&M, it’s never too soon to teach a child about giving back at an age appropriate way, so it’s incorporated INTO his growing up.
Yes, what I like is that nothing is announced until it’s completed. That way there’s no second-guessing, nobody hijacking the narrative ahead of time, and there’s a projection of extreme competence.
Maybe Archie is a gifted child. He has a higher than average in terms of intellectual ability. That’s good.
Nice to know they’re paying it forward. May they have more blessings.
Yes, and all of the happiness and blessings that they certainly deserve!! I am so in love with both of them. They are my other favorite couple besides the Obamas. They are off committing themselves to making real change in the world and have identified what areas of disadvantages are to be addressed, one commitment at a time.
Bravo Harry and Meghan!!
US Weekly’s “source” about Archie’s second birthday reads like they made it up using the generic and guessing.
Wonderful news about Meghan + P & G donating to Harvest Homes (and for the rest of the year!)
This is what acts of service looks like. Partnering with organizations and corporations that will have impact on the communities they are servicing.
Lovely note and contribution to Harvest Home.
US Weekly is mainly conjecture and fiction. But teaming up with P&G for Harvest Home is more big-time moves from Archewell Foundation. This is why substance will always win over spin.
They also donated the little beanies again for Archie’s birthday!
Not to thread jack (this was right above the stuff on Archwell) but Oprah and Prince Harry are working on a documentary about mental health: https://archewell.com/news/prince-harry-and-oprah-winfrey-set-premiere-date-for-the-me-you-cant-see/
Lol US weekly made up the birthday poem because the announcement about her book said it was inspired by a poem for Harry for Father’s Day. So funny.
Ahh so the co young Meghan called out she is now working with for charitable work. That’s cool. Lovely gesture providing this practical support to this shelter. Apparently they bought out their wish list.
I do think this is type of stuff that would have clashed with the courtiers as they don’t want people looking to royals to open their purses too much.
That nefarious Meg at it again…
See how she intentionally lured Harry away from his family so she could selfishly….*checks notes* organize charity drives and promote vaccine distribution*? The witch. Such golddigging.
Exactly! I mean remember when she was running around the UK “undercover” learning about charities and such? Who does that, everyone knows you only do things for the photo-op! Otherwise what’s the point? The nerve!
Hee! Harry must be the first person in history to be infantilized by his wife into works of extreme charity. Shouldn’t he be whining to Meghan about wanting sugar and his x-box taken out of time out by now?
I love this (and Meghan looks so amazing in that red dress!). Is it surprising to give homeless pregnant women diapers and cleaning supplies though, as they presumably don’t have a home to use (possibly toxic) cleaning supplies, or babies to diaper (yet)? Or does Harvest Home offer housing?
I’m not sure if they offer housing, but it says on Archewell that they (the sussexes and P&G) were fulfilling their online wish list, so these are clearly things that Harvest Home needs/wants.
I’m not sure if they give housing, but I do know people that are “homeless” does not always mean they are on the street without shelter.
And will still need cleaning supplies to keep their infants safe.
Exactly. Even new mothers with fancy homes and every available resource carry these types of items with them in their diaper bags for changing babies in public restroom, or on the street, or in a park, or wherever baby needs.
The items were donated to the organization not directly to the women. The women ARE eventually going to give birth and need these things. Cleaning supplies probably means wipes and things plus the organization can probably use any other supplies as well. Food stamps and WIC can only be used for food not baby diapers or toothpaste or other hygiene items
I’m sure the shelter itself needs cleaning supplies. And “possibly toxic” or not, I’m sure they are grateful for them. And homeless or not parents will still need these things (which are not cheap) to care for their babies — laundry detergent, sanitizing wipes, dish soap, etc — all things P&G produces.
Who is donating “ toxic” cleaning supplies. Why is this even coming up and that’s a nasty swipe. It’s not like they’re dumping something like barrels of chlorine or ammonia on them. Maybe it doesn’t meet the posters vinegar and baking soda standards, but the items donated were requested by the organization.
LOL
Even if you didnt read about this initiative on Archewell, you clearly hvnt made the connection between the name of the organization: Harvest HOME (emphasis on: HOME….where pregnant women can go for temporary shelter) and their wish-list request, posted on their website, of their needs; with Archewell and Proctor & Gamble teaming up to give them a year’s supply of Harvest Home’s STATED. NEEDS.
Where did you get the idea that homeless mothers wouldn’t need diapers for their babies?
looking up (not really, not at all) at what the keens have done today to see what Meghan is going to upstage today, yawnThey are do band and stale, and far. Anything she (and she alone) does will be trashed, and Harry too.
Good on Archewell for donating on Mother’s Day. As for Archie’s birthday, that might be true but it also might not be. It probably is USWeekly making guesses based on what they think the Sussexes are doing.
I have seen way to much criticism of the corporate sponsors donating on behalf of the Sussex’s or Archewell. You can tell that these comments come from people who have never had to fundraise or actually worked within a cause in an administrative position. Corporations have a budget for charities. From the local grocery chain to the major world wide conglomerates. Wether it is automobiles, groceries or restaurants they budget for donations and the people who ask at the right time with worthy causes get the money. It all depends on the timing (fiscal year calendar are what they follow), and knowing who to ask and present your proposal to is imperative.
It isn’t rocket science and Meghan went to a Private Catholic school so from personal experience she learned this very early. Fundraising is a way of life for catholic school families ( I’m sure it is for most private schools I’m only saying Catholic because it is my personal experience so please know I mean no offense to anyone else’s experiences).
Also another very valuable lesson was that companies may not have funds for major donations but they are very happy and extremely generous donating product. I have never personally had a company turn down donating product either for immediate use or to be in silent auctions or other fundraising endeavors.
This is smart fundraising, why people think that H&M should be footing the cost from their own income is ludicrous. It is a lot of work behind the scenes and they are doing it while the naysayers are griping from their lazy boy because the Sussex’s are not funding everything personally. It is surreal that they think they are even a little credible to weigh in on the subject.
I personally think they are amazing, the fact that they are getting huge donations from major world companies shows you just how powerful this couple is. Getting to the right people is what every person involved with charity fundraising prays for, H&M are doing great things but this is their opening act. I have a feeling that in the future they will be the powerhouse “go to” of the philanthropic world.
We don’t know that they didn’t use any of their own money either. But you’re right, evil corporate America lives for the chance to look less evil, lol. And this is a big win for these moms, my kids are grown but diapers cost a fortune even in my day. And if you are homeless you don’t have the luxury of cloth plus most daycares won’t use them.
I didn’t mean to imply that H&M are not donating personally.. I have no clue, as it should be unless they wish to make it public. I personally never post or make it public what I donate either.
Look at the arc of the universe. It’s like it was meant to be.
This is an excellent thing to do and it sets up concrete help instead of just photo ops that don’t do much of anything. I think we are really going to start to see things ramp up now, especially once baby girl Sussex is born.
I agree. The charitable works the Sussexes undertake get tangible results and have actual IMPACT on the people they are trying to help. They don’t just serve as photo ops for those pretending to do “service” …….
Leaving the BRF was the best thing they ever did.
This would definitely resonate with Megs, because when she was pregnant with Archie and still with this baby girl she was and is still being attacked daily by those sick F in Britain. I swear I fall more in love with these two daily, in a non sexual way of course. I just respect and admire the hell out of them.
Katie keen could learn a lot about helping pregnant and new moms from this.
Kate doesn’t really want to help anyone. She just thought that would be easy–because, you know, she’s a mother, too, so she doesn’t have to really research that, right?
I don’t believe any of this US Weekly blather. The only thing we actually know is he got balloons on his birthday. They actually wrote “ spending the day privately at their home”, like duh, when you’re at home, it’s usually private. I have very few, actually zero, public days at home. Jeez,talk about milking a turnip for this “ news”.
This is lovely. She’s always so lovely and so consistent in her support of women and girls. This support can be tracked all the way back to when she was 11 yrs old and has continued throughout her life. I love this about her and I actually look forward to her writing on this topic some day soon because most people come to these kinds advocacy later in life, so I would like to hear about the forces that shaped those thoughts at such a early age.
I really don’t care to hear of any criticism of M&H’s charitable efforts unless the critic is contributing equally or better.