Baby Archie Gets A New Name On Royal African Tour — Here's What It Means
Baby Archie, the adorable 4-and-a-half-month-old son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, is currently on a royal tour in Africa along with his parents for his first official royal engagement. Along with meeting Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Archie was the recipient of several gifts when the family visited the Justice Desk Project, located in Nyanga township in Cape Town.
The tiny royal scored a miniature hoodie with the words, "Be a voice for justice," appearing across the front — and also a new name (via PureWow). According to Town & Country, it is a custom in South Africa that those who visit the local township and interact with the community are usually given a traditional South African Xhosa name.
Baby Archie's new Xhosa name is fitting
And what, you might ask, is this new moniker? Ntsika, which was chosen by the community's grandmothers. The executive director of The Justice Desk, Jessica Dewhurst, told Town & Country, "The reason we chose that was mostly because Archie means the same thing that Ntsika does. So Archie means strength, it means bravery and the South African equivalent of that is Ntsika."
She further explained that when someone gets a traditional name in this fashion, it's also a wish for what you hope a baby grows up to be.
Archie's new name was announced during an event in Nyanga township, where both the Duke and Duchess delivered speeches and were grateful for the gifts baby Archie received. "They said they absolutely loved it. They said thank you so much," Dewhurst said. "They wanted to put on the hoodie and I said 'Harry that's too small for you.' They loved the fact that our presents were for Archie... They love the fact that they've brought him here and they can't wait for him to experience the country."
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, and Archie meet Desmond Tutu
The tour wasn't just about visiting The Justice Desk, where efforts are made to combat the area's high crime rates. They also had a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, famed cleric and anti-apartheid activist. They met at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town — a foundation that works to help develop leadership and facilitates discussions about social justice and common human purposes (via People).
The royal family didn't leave Tutu's foundation empty handed, either. Gifts included photos of Archie's grandmother Princess Diana meeting late president Nelson Mandela, as well as a few carefully-selected books for Archie — Children of God Storybook Bible and Desmond and the Mean Word. The second book, in particular, was authored by Tutu and is quite special, as it focuses on a memory from his South African childhood (via CNN). In the book, young Desmond rides his bicycle around town, but is hurt when a group of other boys shout mean words at him. Despite this unhappy experience, Desmond discovers compassion.
Another unique gift the Archbishop bestowed upon Archie was a children's songbook, featuring work from Patricia Schonstein. Schonstein, in defiance of apartheid regulations, opened a preschool in South Africa in 1984.
Meghan Markle and Archie enjoyed their South Africa visit
For the engagement, Markle dressed her baby boy in a super cute outfit from the popular clothing store H&M that retails for just £12.99 (or around $16). It comes from the brand's Conscious collection and features blue and white striped organic cotton. The duchess is well known for reusing outfits herself instead of buying brand new clothes each time she has a public appearance. The baby outfit from the Conscious collection probably reflects her efforts to have a more sustainable lifestyle, as it consists of organic clothing designed to have less of an impact on the environment.
Next on the royal agenda? The family splits up, with Prince Harry visiting Botswana for a working visit, and Meghan heading to events to meet with women entrepreneurs and investors who work in the tech industry. After that, she'll spend time with mothers2mothers, which is a charity that helps prepare HIV-positive women for healthcare work.
This visit to Cape Town, South Africa was a significant media event for little Archie, as it was his very first official royal visit and his first real moment in the spotlight. CNN's Royal Correspondent Max Foster noted that not only was it a big deal for the tiny royal, but also Tutu himself. "We shouldn't forget that this is a rare appearance by Desmond Tutu — this aging icon of the anti-apartheid movement here," he said. "He's not seen very often in public so this was a historic piece of video in two senses."