Hello Magazine Supplements_Royal Baby Special 2019

No 41-gun salute heralded his arrival, and no aristocratic title was bestowed as a welcome gift. This was the birth not of an heir to the throne but, in many ways, heir to so much more. Because Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the symbol of an exciting new era of change and diversity, born into a world of both fanfare and fandom, where tradition meets trailblazing. A good, old-fashioned nursery awaits this little ray of hope – but a new Sussex social media account has been readied too. Archie made his much-anticipated entrance on 6 May 2019, just 352 days after the joyous wedding of the People’s Prince and his radiant bride. In this special souvenir edition hello! looks back at all the milestones in a truly amazing 12 months for…

‘We are just so thrilled to have our own bundle of joy’ ‘Everyone says that babies change so much… but his looks are changing every single day’ ‘I have the two best guys in the world, so I am really happy’ ‘Parenting is magic, amazing’ All the waiting and anticipation was worth it: every second, every moment that his elated parents – and the nation – had longed for him. Here he was at last, and the debut of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor in St George’s Hall, where they had toasted their wedding on a spring morning as full of promise as this one, was pitch perfect. Although the Sussexes’ firstborn has no royal title, his was in a way the most royal of welcomes, amid the grandeur of an ornate…

For Harry’s father the happiness of knowing that after so many years of hoping, his darling boy finally has a boy of his own was unrivalled. While Prince Charles was officially on diplomatic business to Germany with Camilla, the talk was all of his bonny baby grandson. Beaming with the joy of a patriarch who now has a “rather large number of grandchildren”, the Prince gladly accepted congratulations from hundreds of well-wishers, as well as teddies and even a tiny pair of traditional Bavarian lederhosen for baby Archie. Camilla, meanwhile, promised to deliver their bounty to Meghan and Harry, saying: “Direct from Germany. I’m sure they’ll be thrilled. Back in Britain, wreathed in smiles, Uncle William and Aunty Kate also offered their warmest congratulations, along with an older sibling’s cheeky…

It was going to be Arthur or Alexander. Spencer or James. Whatever their track record in springing surprises, Meghan and Harry were generally expected to tag along with tradition and choose a baby name that paid tribute to past royals and honoured family custom. But with bolt-from-the-blue Archie Harrison they confounded the bookies and the expectant world – and showed once again that this pair are not going to be doing things by the royal rule book. There was no title in sight either: this little boy will have to make do with a surname like the rest of us – albeit the rather impressive Mountbatten-Windsor – and, unencumbered by an earldom will, like us, have the freedom to forge his own path. While the second name Harrison showed Harry…

The moment his arrival was announced on Instagram, at lunchtime on a Bank Holiday Monday, thoroughly modern Archie became an immediate social media sensation. Then, when these charming pictures showing the photogenic new family were posted, it only added to the frenzy. The event’s most spontaneous images though, were of Harry sharing his marvellous news with the press. Even before we met his gorgeous son, these pictures of the elated new dad bubbling over with excitement proved simply irresistible. The Windsor horses, nodding sagely in the background, were just the kind of touch that makes media magic. Images of Harry sharing news of his son’s birth melted hearts worldwide…

There, in the dark hush of the picture palace, a flickering, silent newsreel brought entranced 1926 movie-goers their first grainy glimpse of an adorable baby royal. Here was Princess Elizabeth, gazing out at the world in portraits taken by photographers who’d learned their craft in the Victorian era. In a pioneering move, the new miracle of cinema was marshalled to share the momentous pictures with millions across the British Empire. That tiny Princess, now our Queen, has just celebrated her 93rd birthday. Much has changed in her long life. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge led the way in using social media to share tender pictures of their growing family. And while Prince Charles’s first close-up was by celebrated society photographer Cecil Beaton, Prince George was snapped by Kate’s father…