Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first podcast just dropped – with an adorable cameo from Archie

The littlest royal made his first words in public on the podcast.

Harry and Meghan podcast

The littlest royal made his first words in public on the podcast.

Since announcing it earlier this month, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell podcast has been eagerly awaited by fans across the globe.

One of the personal projects the couple gave up their respective roles as senior working royals to focus on, the podcast interviews a host of famous names – from Sir Elton John to James Corden.

But in the first episode released yesterday, it was one particularly adorable cameo that stole the show. The royal couple's one-year-old son, Archie Harrison, made his first words 'in public' on his parents' podcast – wishing fans a 'Happy... New... Year'.

Harry and Meghan released the '2020 holiday special' recording of their podcast to honour frontline workers and those dealing with 'uncertainty and unthinkable loss' as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harry opens the podcast, telling listeners: 'We're glad you're here. As we all know, it's been a year. And we really want to honour the compassion and kindness that has helped so many people get through it.'

Also among the prominent figures the couple speak to on the podcast are tennis pro Naomi Osaka, spoken word performer George The Poet, author Deepak Chopra, British activist Christina Adane and filmmaker Tyler Perry (who reportedly rented the couple an $18 million house when they first moved to LA earlier this year).

George The Poet – who opened the BBC's coverage of Harry and Meghan's wedding back in 2018 – had his own special message to deliver after a difficult year. He told listeners that by the time they tune into the episode, he would have proposed to his now-fiancée Sandra Diana Makumbi.

'That's amazing,' Meghan responded. While Harry joked: 'George, hopefully it was a "yes", if it's not or if it wasn't then...this is kind of awkward so...'

The podcast ended on a hopeful note, with Meghan concluding: 'From us I'll say no matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins.' Gospel song This Little Light of Mine, which, said Meghan, 'played at the very end of our wedding... while we were walking down the steps of the church' plays at the end.

But not before a very special guest offered a few words of his own.

Handing the microphone to little Archie, Harry says, 'You can speak into it.'

'Is it fun?' Meghan asks, before their son replies: 'Fun!'

He then wished listeners a 'Happy... New... Year' with the help of his father.

The cutest. We wish Meghan, Harry and little Archie the happiest New Year, too.

Kate McCusker

Kate McCusker is a freelance writer at Marie Claire UK, having joined the team in 2019. She studied fashion journalism at Central Saint Martins, and her byline has also appeared in Dezeen, British Vogue, The Times and woman&home. In no particular order, her big loves are: design, good fiction, bad reality shows and the risible interiors of celebrity houses.