Prince Harry introduced his newborn son, Prince Archie, to renowned primatologist Jane Goodall as “my little African child,” according to former magazine editor Tina Brown.
Ms Brown disclosed this previously unknown claim when recounting a lunch she had with Ms Goodall before the scientist’s death in October 2025.
“She was one of the only people outside the family that went to see Archie when he was born,” Ms Brown said. “And Harry said, ‘This is my little African child.'”
GB News has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s representatives for comment regarding the claim.
Prince Harry allegedly referred to Prince Archie as his ‘little African child’
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NETFLIX
Verification of Ms Brown’s account is no longer possible following Ms Goodall’s passing.
Ms Brown shared the anecdote to illustrate how the Royal Family had anticipated a very different path for Harry.
According to her account, Ms Goodall was “absolutely stunned when he chose the life that he did.”
The former editor explained that the Queen had long expected Harry might eventually step back from royal duties, but the family believed he would dedicate himself to wildlife conservation on the African continent.
Prince Harry and Jane Goodall pictured in 2019 | PA“They all expected him to kind of go to Africa and become a person who focused on conservation of animals in Africa and live a kind of off-the-grid life,” Ms Brown said during an appearance on Katie Couric’s YouTube programme.
Instead, Harry settled in Montecito, California, embracing what Ms Brown characterised as “the opposite of the off-the-grid life” – a celebrity existence that she suggested even Harry himself had not foreseen.
Ms Goodall’s visit to meet Archie was acknowledged by Harry and Meghan in their tribute following her death.
In a statement, the couple described her as “a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us.”
Katie Couric and Tina Brown having a chat on the journalist’s YouTube channel
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YOUTUBE: KATIE COURIC
The Duke of Sussex hugged Dr Jane Goodall at her Roots & Shoots Global Leadership Meeting in Windsor Castle
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PA
“She held our son, Archie, when he was first born, and showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her,” they wrote.
The primatologist and Harry had attended a meeting together at Windsor Castle in July 2019, approximately two months after Archie’s birth.
Meghan revealed during a 2022 episode of her Spotify podcast Archetypes that genealogy testing had shown she was “43 per cent Nigerian.”
Whether Harry was aware of this heritage when he introduced Archie to Ms Goodall remains unclear. Africa has long held profound significance for Harry, frequently described as a sanctuary where he sought solace following his mother, Princess Diana’s, death.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.gbnews.com ’
