Archie Is Turning 3! Everything We Know About Meghan and Harry's Son

Archie Harrison is growing up! In honor of his third birthday on May 6, here's what proud parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have revealed about their sweet boy

Meghan Markle and Archie. Photo: CBS

He's Excited About the Invictus Games

In conversation with PEOPLE for an exclusive cover story, Prince Harry said that he and wife Meghan Markle "can't wait" to bring their son Archie and daughter Lilibet, 1 next month, to the Invictus Games when they're older.

In the meantime, the proud dad said he's already introduced the adaptive sports competition for veterans and service personnel to his oldest.

"I showed Archie a video of wheelchair basketball and rugby from the Invictus Games in Sydney, and he absolutely loved it," Harry told PEOPLE.

"I showed him how some were missing legs and explained that some had invisible injuries, too," the former Army captain added. "Not because he asked, but because I wanted to tell him. Kids understand so much, and to see it through his eyes was amazing because it's so unfiltered and honest."

He's Got His Father's 'Cheekiness'

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images

According to Harry, the apple didn't fall far from the tree when it comes to his son's sense of humor. During an April interview with Today's Hoda Kotb about the Invictus Games, the prince agreed when asked if he thought his son inherited his famous sense of "cheekiness" and fun.

In one amusing example, Harry revealed that Archie is prone to interrupting his video calls for work.

"This whole working from home stuff is not all it's cracked up to be, certainly post-COVID, because it's really hard," the father of two said with a smile. "But when your kids and you are in the same place, it's really hard to separate the work from them because they kind of overlap. So, I mean, Archie spends more time interrupting our Zoom calls than anybody else."

"But he often gets us off them, as well, so that's also a nice thing," he added.

He's Already Dreaming Big

Karwai Tang/WireImage

The preschooler is shooting for the stars! During the opening ceremony of the 5th Invictus Games in the Netherlands in April, the Duke of Sussex shared that Archie is looking to the skies for potential career aspirations.

"When I talk to my son Archie about what he wants to be when he grows up, some days it's an astronaut, other days it's a pilot — a helicopter pilot obviously — or Kwazii from Octonauts," the dad said with a laugh, referencing the children's show. "If you're laughing, then you've seen that."

On a more serious note, the Invictus Games founder told the crowd that what he and his wife want most is for their children to grow up to be good people.

"I remind him is that no matter what you want to be when you grow up, it's your character that matters most, and nothing would make his mum and me prouder than to see him have the character of what we see before us today," Harry added.

He's Attending School

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's 2021 holiday card with Archie and Lilibet. Alexi Lubomirski

Giving a glimpse into his family's flow at their Montecito home, Harry said that Archie goes to school in the morning while Lili naps.

"One of the kids has gone to school. The other one's taking a nap. There's a break in our program," he told friend Serena Williams during BetterUp's Inner Work Day in February. "It's like, right, it's either for workout, take the dog for a walk, get out in nature, maybe meditate."

He's an Animal Lover

Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. The Ellen Degeneres Show

While appearing on pal Ellen DeGeneres' self-titled talk show in November 2021, the Duchess of Sussex was touched when the host commented on her young son's easy demeanor with the birds at his "chick inn."

As a picture of the toddler standing his chicken coop flashed onscreen, DeGeneres (who is neighbors with the family in Montecito) revealed, "He's so sweet with the chickens, too. Archie is just such a gentle soul."

"Aww, thank you," proud mom Meg replied.

In the picture, the toddler was even wearing a nod to his U.K. roots — his Hunter rain boots feature Peppa Pig, the popular British cartoon character. (Prince William previously told BBC Radio 1 that his son, Prince George, was a huge Peppa Pig fan before moving onto Fireman Sam.)

He Loves Books

The Bench by Meghan Markle. Stephanie Petit

Hey, that's me! During her appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Meghan revealed that Archie is delighted to recognize illustrations of himself in The Bench, her children's book that explores the bond between fathers and sons through a mother's eyes.

The duchess shared that her toddler also spots the family's two dogs (a beagle named Guy and a black Labrador named Pula) in the book.

"On that first page you open and you see our dogs and he goes, 'That's Pula! That's Guy!' " Meghan said.

The duchess' comments followed her previous remarks that Archie is already showing a love for literature.

"He has a voracious appetite for books and constantly when we read him a book he goes 'Again, again,' " Meghan said on NPR Weekend Edition in June 2021.

"Now the fact that he loves The Bench and we can say, 'Mommy wrote this for you,' feels amazing," she added.

He Wasn't So Sure About Halloween

Meghan Markle. The Ellen Show

Halloween, however, was a bit of a different story. In another adorable anecdote shared during her Ellen appearance, the Duchess of Sussex said that Archie wasn't so sure about Halloween last year.

"We wanted to do something fun for the kids, and then the kids were just not into it at all," Meghan explained.

Though his mom and dad dressed him up in a dinosaur costume, Meghan revealed that her toddler only wore it for "about five minutes."

"Not even five minutes," countered DeGeneres, who spent the holiday with the family of four. "Finally Harry talked him into putting the head on," she added.

He Knows – and Loves – His Late Grandmother

Sussex Royals; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

Archie's first words were especially sentimental for his parents.

In his AppleTV+ docuseries The Me You Can't See, Prince Harry revealed that one of his son's first words was "grandma" as a sweet nod to Princess Diana.

According to Harry, a photo of his late mother, who tragically died at age 36 following a car crash in Paris in 1997, hangs in Archie's nursery at home.

"I got a photo of her in his nursery, and it was one of the first words that he said — apart from 'mama,' 'papa,' it was then 'grandma'. Grandma Diana," Harry said in the special, which premiered May 2021. "It's the sweetest thing, but at the same time, it makes me really sad because she should be here."

He's Growing Up Fast

Archie's recent birthday image. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

In a conversation with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan explained why the move to California benefitted Archie, and shared updates about their growing boy.

"To have outdoor space where I can go for walks with Archie and we go for walks as a family and with the dogs. You know, we go on hikes or go down to the beach, which is so close," Harry told Oprah.

"The highlight for me is sticking him on the back of the bicycle in his little baby seat and taking him on bike rides is something which I never was able to do when I was young. I can see him on the back, and he's got his arms out, chatting: 'Palm tree?' House?' " the prince recalled, revealing Archie's growing vocabulary.

Meghan added that the toddler had been gabbing away and learning new words.

"He's on a roll. In the past few weeks it's been 'hydrate,' " the Duchess of Sussex said in March.

"Whenever anyone leaves the house, he's like, 'Drive safe!' " Harry echoed.

Meghan Jokes He 'Is All Over the Place'

Meghan Markle and Archie. CBS

In October 2020, Meghan said their little one was adjusting well to his new surroundings near Santa Barbara.

"We are doing well. [Archie] is so good," she shared in a video call with the Evening Standard to help kick off Black History Month in the U.K. "We are very lucky with our little one. He is just so busy, he is all over the place. He keeps us on our toes. We are just so lucky."

He's Mom and Dad's #1

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie. Misan Harriman/Instagram

Though Meghan and Harry have their hands full, Harry said their ultimate focus remained the little man.

The Duke of Sussex took part in a special video chat in August 2020 in honor of the Rugby Football League's 125th birthday, where the proud dad talked about his son.

"Our little man is our number one priority, but our work after that is the second priority and we're just trying to do everything we can to do our part to make the world a better place," Prince Harry said.

Dad and Lad Love the Great Outdoors

CBS

Like many families amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Harry said he and Archie enjoyed spending extra time in the great outdoors together.

During the call with the Rugby League, Harry said he was also looking forward to introducing his son to the sport.

"What I need is a few mini rugby balls that I can then get Archie involved with the game, because at the moment it's impossible to find any," Harry teased. "But I've got a little space outside, which I'm fortunate enough to have so I need to get him playing some Rugby League."

You Can Call Him 'Arch'

Meghan Markle and Archie. The Duke of Sussex/@SaveChildrenUK

Meghan's lips slipped to reveal a sweet nickname for Archie in a candid video while reading a story to her son in celebration of his milestone first birthday in May 2020.

As Archie helped turn the pages of Duck! Rabbit!, Meghan said "Let's turn the page, let's show everybody. Let's go to the next page — look Arch!"

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously shed some light on how they chose their son's name – and its special connection to their charitable Archewell Foundation.

"Before SussexRoyal came the idea of 'arche' — the Greek word meaning 'source of action,' " the couple said in a statement last year. "We connected to this concept for the charitable organization we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son's name."

"To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon."

He Was Fascinated with His First Snow

Prince Harry and son Archie. Sussex Royals

While making his first speech after reaching an agreement about his exit from royal duties, Prince Harry humorously recalled Archie's first experience with snow, at an event organized for the Duke of Cambridge's Sentebale charity.

"It has also been a privilege to meet so many of you, and to feel your excitement for our son Archie, who saw snow for the first time the other day and thought it was bloody brilliant!" Harry told the crowd in January 2020.

He's a Playdate Pro

Samir Hussein/WireImage

After his first public playdate with cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at a polo match in July 2020, Meghan revealed her bundle of joy enjoyed meeting other babies at an organized playgroup.

"It was a lot of fun. He loved it," Meghan said of the big outing with her little one at the WellChild Awards.

He 'Found His Voice' in Africa

Archie, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Samir Hussein/WireImage

Like father, like son. While Prince Harry's love for Africa is well known, the duke revealed that Archie seemingly fell for the area at 5 months old.

In the ITV documentary Harry & Meghan: An African Journey, the Duke of Sussex said the tot was "making more noise" than ever before during their royal tour in September and October 2019.

"He clearly loves Africa as well because he's been happy looking out the window," Harry revealed. "He found his voice here. He was bouncing up and down and making more noise than he's ever made before."

Meghan echoed, "We thought he was happy before. He's the happiest here. He's been so happy the past two days."

'Bubba' Likes 'to Flirt!'

Samir Hussein/WireImage

Revealing another nickname Meghan called her baby boy "Bubba" while meeting with South African human rights activist Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his daughter, Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, during Archie's first-ever official engagement with his parents in Cape Town, South Africa, in September 2019.

Archie adorably chuckled when Thandeka laughed, prompting Meghan to say, "Is that funny?" Thandeka noted that Archie already seemed to understand her, to which Prince Harry said, "I think he knows exactly what's going on."

"You like me best, yes!" Thandeka told Archie. "Oh, you like the ladies better, yeah."

Meghan agreed: "He likes to flirt!"

He's an 'Old Soul'

Meghan Markle with her son Archie meets with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Toby Melville/PA Wire/PA Images

Archie wasn't even 1 year old when mom Meghan mused he seemed to be wise beyond his years.

During the meeting with Archbishop Tutu and his daughter Thandeka, Archie was calm and attentive throughout his first outing, smiling smiled at his hosts and played in his mother's lap.

"He constantly wants to stand," Harry said as his son playfully stood up on the couch in Meghan's arms.

Meghan exclaimed "He's an old soul!"