Prince Harry hits back at claim he introduced son Archie as 'my little African child' to Jane Goodall
The comment was allegedly made to Jane Goodall shortly after Archie's birth
Prince Harry has strongly denied a claim made by royal author Tina Brown that he once introduced his son, Prince Archie, to the late Dr Jane Goodall as “my little African child”.
The comment, made during Brown’s appearance on The Katie Couric Show on December 16, quickly stirred backlash.
In the interview, Brown recalled a private lunch with Goodall, who died in October, during which the conservationist allegedly recounted Harry’s words following Archie’s birth.
Prince Harry denies calling son Archie ‘my little African child’
“Jane Goodall, before she died, I had a lunch with her,” Brown claimed. “She was one of the only people outside the family that went to see Archie when he was born. And Harry said, ‘This is my little African child.'”
Brown claimed that Harry had initially pictured a quieter, more outdoorsy lifestyle for himself and his family.
She said: “They were going to have this time together, living a life off the grid. She said she was absolutely stunned when he chose the life that he did.”
In response, a spokesperson for Prince Harry firmly rejected the account. They called the alleged quote false and inappropriate, especially given that Goodall is no longer alive to confirm or deny it.
“The Duke of Sussex has never said anything remotely resembling what is being claimed,” the spokesperson told PEOPLE. “Tina Brown knows exactly what she’s doing by inventing these words and attributing them to a highly respected woman who is deceased and unable to correct the record.”
After the statement was released, Brown responded with a partial clarification. She acknowledged that she misquoted the line but defended the overall account.
“[Goodall] remembered affectionately Harry saying when Archie was born, ‘I want you to come and meet my African child,'” Brown explained in a follow-up statement. “She actually said ‘Africa child,’ but I was speaking too quickly.”
Brown emphasised that aside from the wording error, “everything else in Ms Goodall’s conversation with me, I rendered accurately”.
Prince Harry and Jane Goodall’s bond
The initial allegation came during a broader conversation about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to leave royal life in 2020 and relocate to California.
Brown argued that Harry’s current lifestyle doesn’t align with what those close to him had expected.
“They all expected him to kind of go to Africa and become a person who focused on conservation,” Brown said. “Nobody expected him to go to Montecito and live the opposite of the off-the-grid life. I don’t think Harry thought he was going to do that either.”
Prince Harry and Dr Jane Goodall first met in December 2018 when she visited Kensington Palace to discuss their shared environmental concerns.
The two remained close over the years. Goodall was one of the few non-family members to meet Archie shortly after his birth in 2019.
Following Goodall’s death in October 2025, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a heartfelt tribute.
“Dr Jane Goodall DBE was a visionary humanitarian, scientist, friend to the planet, and friend to us,” the couple wrote. “Her commitment to changing lives extends beyond what the world saw, and also to what we personally felt.
“She held our son, Archie, when he was first born, and showered love and care to those who were privileged to know her. She will be deeply missed.”
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