Meghan Markle Had A Pet Cat Named Archie, But The Name Could Be In Honor Of Her Dad

Though the name Archie may have taken much of the world by surprise, a friend of the Duchess of Sussex insists that she has always loved the name, according to The Sun. In fact, the friend said that she even had a rescue cat that was named the cute moniker.

“[Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland] rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household,” the friend said. “Meghan loved playing with him and she was always talking about him to her friends.”

Meghan Markle’s once even posted a video of her stroking the beloved pet on Instagram. Her account has since been deactivated, but the video can be found on The Sun.

The friend added that Meghan would constantly talk about the much-loved moggie, and bemoaned the fact that Archie gained too much weight after she kept feeding him frozen grapes. Archie the cat is alleged to have passed away while Meghan was away at college at Northwestern University.

“It’s no surprise she named her new baby Archie. She loved that cat.”

However, the friend also believes that the name might be a way to honor her estranged father.

Thomas Markle has not spoken to his daughter since before her wedding after he staged photos with the paparazzi and then dramatically had to cancel his attendance at the royal wedding due to health complications.

The friend claimed that young Meghan was “obsessed” with the Archie comics and would often spend weekends with her dad going down to the comic book store.

“This could be a little nod to her dad. It was him who instilled that hobby into her, that was their activity together. He would drive her around and also surprise her with vintage volumes. She had at least 100. This may be a way to reach out to her dad, even after all that’s happened.”

The Archie comics follow red-head Archie Andrews, who is constantly stuck in a love triangle with sweet Betty and spunky Veronica. The comics are undergoing a resurgence in popularity thanks to the hit CW show Riverdale, which is loosely based on the characters.

Though the name Archie might have taken royal fans and bookies by surprise, it is a name that has surged in popularity and is currently the 11th most popular boy’s name in Britain.

It is so popular that it was the nickname that young Prince George allegedly chose while on a casual walk with mom Kate Middleton. The young prince reportedly introduced himself to a woman with a dog as “Archie.”

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the first child for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and was born on May 6.