Baby Sussex follows 70-year tradition in £105 blanket for first photo call

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their newborn son to the world today during a photo call at Windsor Castle.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was held in father Harry’s arms and wrapped in a special white blanket for the occasion.

While the parents decided to break with royal tradition by eschewing a hospital photo call, their choice of baby blanket was a subtle nod to previous royal births.

The blanket, known as the Ivory White Leaves and Flowers Baby Shawl, retails at £105 and is from Nottingham-based shawl maker G.H.Hurt & Son.

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Although a seemingly inconspicuous choice, it is an identical blanket to one worn by every royal baby for almost 70 years.

Baby Sussex’s cousins, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s three children, all wore the shawl.

The Queen also wrapped Prince Charles in the same style of blanket upon his birth in 1948.

“It’s very exciting news not only for everyone here, but for the city of Nottingham too. We weren’t sure if TRH the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would use one of our shawls as they have generally chosen to do things differently,” James Taylor, marketing and operations executive at G. H. Hurt & Son, told Yahoo UK.

“We’d like to congratulate TRH the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the safe arrival of their newborn boy and we are looking forwards to finding out what they choose to name him.”

READ MORE: Duchess of Sussex’s touching post-birth interview

Meghan, meanwhile, dressed her post-baby bump in a sleeveless trench dress by British designer Wales Grace Bonner.

She accessorised the designer ensemble with co-ordinating suede heels, a Jennifer Meyer turquoise necklace and kept her hair in loose waves - a far cry from her polished bun.