This incident dates back to 2020 when the New South Wales government approached Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, inquiring if they could name a new 737 large-air tanker after their son Archie, who celebrated his fourth birthday on King Charles's coronation day.
Officials had envisioned that Archie might one day visit the plane during a royal tour. However, their hopes were dashed when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex responded by thanking the New South Wales government for their generous offer but politely declining. They explained that their son had not yet entered the public sphere, which seemed to be the key factor influencing their decision.
In 2019, the firefighting plane in question had been tirelessly deployed to combat the devastating bushfires that swept through Australia. Eventually, the plane was christened with the name of a former New South Wales Governor, Mary Bashir, at its unveiling in August. Miss Bashir, who served as the first female governor from 2001 to 2014, expressed her humility at the honor and praised the emergency service members for their exceptional service in protecting the communities of New South Wales.
However, some speculated that Meghan Markle might have been disappointed that the plane wasn't named after her, suggesting that she believed herself destined for extraordinary fame, rendering such an honor beneath her son. According to Insider sources, after declining to name the plane after Archie, Meghan offered to have it named after herself, but this proposal was firmly declined by New South Wales Governor Mary Bashir, who perceived Meghan as merely Prince Harry's wife and lacking any royal lineage.
Archie's role in the royal family has been a subject of intrigue, given his relatively low profile and apparent distance from UK relatives. This separation from the royal fold traces back to the refusal of Harry and Meghan to accept the royal family's request to name the plane in the sun's honor.
In recent days, Prince Harry has shed light on his son Archie's future aspirations during a Netflix docu-series titled "Heart of Invictus." The Duke of Sussex disclosed that his four-year-old son has expressed interest in various professions, ranging from an astronaut to a pilot. Harry emphasized the importance of character, expressing his pride in seeing Archie develop into a person of exemplary character.
Archie's fascination with aviation could be influenced by his father's own history, as Prince Harry previously served as a pilot for the British Army, having completed training to become an Army Air Corps helicopter pilot.
