Entertainment

Royal baby Archie has a canine namesake who lived in a replica Windsor Castle

Lottery winner Susan Crossland had the replica of Windsor Castle built for a dog which now shares a name with the latest addition to the royal family.
Lottery winner Susan Crossland had the replica of Windsor Castle built for a dog which now shares a name with the latest addition to the royal family. Lottery winner Susan Crossland had the replica of Windsor Castle built for a dog which now shares a name with the latest addition to the royal family.

A Lottery winner who commissioned a replica of Windsor Castle so her dog, Archie, could enjoy last year’s Royal Wedding is wondering whether her pampered dog was an inspiration for Harry and Meghan’s name choice.

Susan Crossland, 54, spent more than £5,000 having a 2m high, hand-painted version of the castle built for her 11-year-old Lhasa Apso, complete with red carpet, throne and hot tub.

And Archie watched the royal nuptials dressed in his tuxedo and top hat, sitting in his velvet-lined castle.

Now Mrs Crossland says she and her husband, Michael, are overjoyed to hear Harry and Meghan have chosen the name Archie for their new son.

She said: “I was absolutely buzzing when I heard the news about the baby.

“Michael and I just love the royals so we we were over the moon when we heard he was called Archie.

“Who knows, maybe Meghan got some inspiration from my special pooch?”

Mrs Crossland said: “I’ve had lots of messages from people telling me about the baby.

“Today I’ve feel like a bit of a royal myself with my very own baby prince.

“I hope one day my Archie will be lucky enough to meet the new royal.”

Windsor Castle replica for dog
Windsor Castle replica for dog Archie the Lhasa Apso and his kennel (Danny Lawson/PA)

Mr and Mrs Crossland, from Mirfield, West Yorkshire, won £1.2 million on Lotto in 2008.

Mr Crossland commissioned specialist sculptor and set designers The Russell Beck Studio, from south London, to create Archie’s Pet Pooch Palace.

The structure took a seven-strong team 244 hours to complete, weighs 155kg, used more than 15 litres of paint and is based on the King George IV Gate at Windsor Castle.

After the wedding Mr and Mrs Crossland donated the structure to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s centre in Windsor.

Windsor Castle replica for dog
Windsor Castle replica for dog Archie the Lhasa Apso (Danny Lawson/PA)

When she won the lottery 10 years ago, Mrs Crossland described how she had taken on her father’s line of numbers after his death and won with that sequence on the anniversary of his death.

She said she believed it was “heaven sent”, her father wanting her to look after her two sisters and brother who all have learning difficulties.

Mrs Crossland said the siblings were to be split up after the death of her parents but her good fortune has meant she has been able to care for them all in her purpose built home.