Harry and Meghan’s Strange Pregnancy Ritual With Archie That Left Charles’ Staff ‘Horrified’
Prince Harry once revealed the strange superstition he and Meghan Markle believed brought them luck before Archie’s birth.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are often in the news surrounding various controversies, but this time, it is for this one adorable habit. Just five months into their marriage, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex delighted the royal family and fans alike with their first pregnancy news. They were expecting Prince Archie at that time and, like any other parents, did everything for the well-being of their unborn, including believing in superstitions.
In fact, Harry later revealed in his autobiography Spare that he and Markle were quietly holding onto a few “superstitions” behind the scenes. They believed it might bring them luck during the pregnancy. He shared via HELLO!, “We didn't want to wait. We both wanted to start a family straightaway." Harry also added that becoming parents had "always been our main priority.”
During a stay with King Charles at the Castle of Mey in late summer 2018, the conversation apparently turned to Scottish folklore. Harry recalled Charles telling them about “selkies,” which are mythical creatures often described as seal-like mermaids said to grant wishes. Charles once told Harry that seals could often be spotted along the shore near the castle and jokingly told the couple to sing to them because “they often sing back.” At first, the Duke thought it sounded like nothing more than an old fairytale until they decided to give it a try themselves.
Soon after, the couple spotted seals swimming off the Scottish coast and decided to try out Charles’ unusual advice for themselves. He said that they began singing to them, but the seals only reacted once Markle joined in. The moment clearly got to Harry, because he ended up jumping straight into the freezing water to swim with them, leaving King Charles's staff completely horrified. He wrote, “A seal opera. Silly superstition, maybe, but I didn’t care. I counted it a good omen. I took off my clothes, jumped into the water, swam to them. Later, Pa's Aussie chef was horrified.”
After the trip, Harry and Markle headed back to Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, where they soon got the news they had been hoping for. Markle’s pregnancy test came back positive. Harry later connected it to the “selkie” story Charles had told them, jokingly writing in Spare, “Thank you, selkies.”
Archie was born on May 6, 2019, and celebrated his seventh birthday this year. The Suits actress celebrated the occasion by posting a series of sweet photos of her son on Instagram. They later welcomed their daughter, Princess Lilibet, in 2021. The Sussexes are also celebrating another major moment this year as they mark their eighth wedding anniversary. Markle recently shared several unseen photos of the couple, including throwbacks from their wedding day.
