Look.
It was very nice for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to travel to South Africa for a royal tour, on a mission to support children’s education, raise awareness of various charities, meet Nobel prize winners and generally advocate for crucial human rights.
But none of that matters now.
Because on day three of their royal tour, baby Archie made his first public appearance and a frankly absurd proportion of the human race lost their minds.
You see, it’s his overalls. And his wildly unnecessary socks. But also his silly little hands and his curious eyes.
But Archie wasn't just thrown in front of the cameras for a split second. On Wednesday, baby Archie went on an adventure. He walked out (well, he didn't walk, he was carried) with his very famous parents, and, like your average four-month-old, he met Nobel laureate and retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as his daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe.
Of course, there was much to be learnt about the royal baby from the event. Everyone knows that just months after birth, you can tell a lot about an infant from their body language, the content of their gurgles, their choice of clothing, etc.
Watch Archie during the South Africa royal tour. Post continues after video.
So here are the six most important things we learnt about baby Archie from his first public appearance.
1. He looks... exactly like Prince Harry.
It remains one of life's greatest injustices that women spend nine months growing a human, endure a hectic childbirth, and then deliver a baby that looks exactly like their partner.
It's not... fair, and it's surprising more women don't demand a refund.
But for reasons that are currently unclear, Meghan seems fine with the fact that her baby happens to be a smaller version of her husband.
The resemblance is genuinely unsettling.
2. He's very keen on cake.
Can Archie eat solids yet? Unclear.
Does he already know that cake is life and you should never miss an opportunity to have some for free? Absolutely.
CAKE BRINGS HIM JOY AND I UNDERSTAND WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
EVERYONE THOUGHT HE WAS KEEN ON DESMOND TUTU BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY JUST CONCERNED HE WAS GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE CAKE.
3. He's not interested in dressing like a little ghost.
Traditionally in the royal family, babies and children tend to dress like gorgeous little ghosts.
Which is fine. It's really quite endearing.
But Archie isn't your regular royal baby - he's a cool royal baby, and yeah, you can buy his now iconic H&M overalls for $25.
He's legit going to be a fashion influencer before he can dress himself and I have no issue with that.
4. He doesn't get starstruck.
When Archie met Archbishop Desmond Tutu, known for his crucial work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist, he was remarkably chill.
He smiled, reached out his hand, and promptly closed his eyes.
He was also very open to having his head kissed by the 87-year-old, and seemed entirely comfortable in front of the cameras.
5. He likes to be part of the conversation.
While, yes, it would be easy to dismiss Archie as just a four-month-old baby whose talents include putting foreign objects in his mouth and trying (unsuccessfully) to roll over, this would be a wild underestimation.
Because he's very much across it.
By that I mean jokes, conversations, social niceties, his media obligations, etc.
He's a 40-year-old man in a four-month-old's body and he would like to be treated as an equal, pls.
6. He's an 'old soul' and a 'flirt'.
These descriptions of Archie came straight from his parents - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
When Meghan joked with Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe that Archie would have to get used to the cameras, she described her son as "an old soul," with Prince Harry adding, "I think he's used to it already".
No sh*t.
During another exchange, Thandeka laughed, prompting Archie to let out a chuckle.
"You like me best, yes!" Thandeka said. "Oh, you like the ladies better, yeah."
Meghan then explained, "He likes to flirt".
Archie... please. You're four months old.
In a short adventure, we suddenly know a lot about the little prince.
Most of which can probably be chalked up to the fact that he's a baby, and has precisely no idea what he's doing.
Top Comments
I'd pay one million pounds for the next child to be called Jughead.
Sounds crazy I know, but in 2036 it will make sense.
7. He was used as a prop and photo op by his thirsty parents.