Meghan Markle explains why she and Prince Harry didn't have photocall outside hospital after Archie's birth

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By Phoebe Egoroff

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Harry and Meghan's six-part docuseries on Netflix has sparked serious debate across social media, racking up close to 100 million viewing hours and dropping bombshell after bombshell less than a week after the first episode aired.

With royalists denouncing the couple for shading the Royal Family and fans of the US-based couple praising them for coming forward about life in The Firm, it's safe to say that the documentary will likely become as infamous as Princess Diana's Panorama interview with Martin Bashir.

Throughout the first three episodes, 38-year-old Harry and 41-year-old Meghan offered viewers a glimpse into the early stages of their courtship as well as the intense media scrutiny Los Angeles-born Meghan suffered at the hands of the UK tabloids leading up to the couple's 2018 nuptials. She also touched upon the rocky relationship she had with her siblings and father ahead of her wedding.

In the second three episodes, Harry described at length how nasty tabloid gossip only seemed to intensify after he and Meghan grew in popularity with the British public - which he claimed was because Meghan "stole the limelight" from other senior royals, which created jealousy.

The father-of-two also detailed how he believed the then-Prince Charles' office leaked his and Meghan's plans to relocate to South Africa, and then to Canada when they stepped back from their duties as senior royals. Harry even described a meeting at Sandringham estate with Prince William, King Charles III, and the late Queen Elizabeth, where William reportedly screamed at Harry when discussing his decision to become financially independent.

Another bombshell revelation, however, was Meghan's explanation behind why she didn't have a photocall outside St Mary's Hospital in London - as Princess Diana did with both Harry and William, and as Kate Middleton did with George, Charlotte, and Louis.

At the time, the former Suits actress received a negative media response when she chose not to have a hospital photocall to announce Archie's birth, instead waiting a few days before introducing him to the world.

However, in the docuseries, Meghan explained that she had a "long-standing relationship" with her doctor at Portland Hospital - Britain's only private maternity hospital, where Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were born - and had intended to give birth there, rather than the Lindo Wing, where most Royal babies are born.

For security reasons, Meghan was advised that it would be "impossible" to do a similar photocall at the Portland. The expectant mom didn't budge, however, and eventually came to a compromise - promising to give more time to the press at a photocall in Windsor Castle soon after Archie's birth in 2019.

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Meghan and Prince Harry had Archie's photocall at Windsor Castle. Credit: Kathy deWitt / Alamy

"There was already the pressure of the picture with Archie on the steps. Are they going to do that or are they not? But I had been really worried going into that labor because I am older and I didn’t know if I would have to have a C-section," she said.

Once her "hybrid" suggestion was offered, however, the palace was more than happy to accommodate her wishes. "Everything internal was like 'Yes, yes, oh great, yes.' At no point did someone go, 'Absolutely not,'" she revealed.

All six episodes of Harry and Meghan are available to watch now on Netflix.

Featured image credit: Maureen McLean / Alamy