Fact check: How did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce the birth of their children?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced the births of their children through non-traditional methods that broke from established royal protocol:

For their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor:

• The couple announced her birth on their Archewell website ^[1]
• They had previously revealed they were expecting another baby in February on Valentine's Day with a black-and-white photo on social media ^[1]

For their son Archie:

• They announced his birth via their official Instagram account, which represented a significant departure from royal tradition ^[2]
• They postponed the traditional photo op until days after the child's birth ^[2]
• Their handling involved delayed announcements, misleading press releases, and avoidance of usual public photo moments, which sparked widespread confusion and fueled rumors ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual elements missing from the original question:

Royal Protocol Violations:

• The couple's announcement methods represented a deliberate break from centuries-old royal traditions regarding birth announcements ^{[2] [3]}
• Traditional royal birth announcements typically involve immediate official statements and public photo opportunities, which Harry and Meghan avoided ^{[2] [3]}

Controversy and Public Reception:

• Their unconventional approach generated significant controversy and public confusion ^[3]
• The delayed and non-traditional announcements fueled widespread rumors and speculation about the circumstances surrounding the births ^[3]

Alternative Narratives:

• There are ongoing conspiracy theories and claims about surrogate pregnancies that have emerged in response to their secretive approach ^{[4] [5]}
• Some sources mention rare glimpses shared on social media, including videos from delivery rooms ^[6]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual, simply asking for information about birth announcements. However, the question omits the significant controversy and protocol-breaking nature of these announcements, which is crucial context for understanding the full story.

The analyses suggest that powerful media outlets and royal commentators benefit from perpetuating narratives about the couple's departure from tradition, as this generates significant public interest and engagement ^[3]. Additionally, conspiracy theorists and alternative media sources benefit from promoting unsubstantiated claims about surrogacy and secretive behavior ^{[4] [5]}.

The question's neutral framing fails to acknowledge that these weren't simply announcements, but deliberate departures from royal protocol that generated substantial public debate and ongoing speculation about the couple's transparency regarding their children's births.