Meghan Markle is due to give birth any day now. And, while we don’t know the exact date when she and Prince Harry will be welcoming a new baby into their home, there’s a lot we do know about Meghan’s pregnancy.
Will the baby have a royal title? Where will the baby be in line to the throne? And where will the family-of-three live once Meghan has given birth? Here’s everything we know so far.
When Did She Announce Her Pregnancy?
Kensington Palace revealed the news that Meghan was expecting her first child with Prince Harry on 15 October 2018. At the time, the pair were in Sydney on their first royal tour, and shared that they were “very pleased” to be starting a family.
According to the BBC, the Queen and other royals were told about the news at Princess Eugenie’s wedding.
When Is Meghan’s Due Date?
When Meghan’s pregnancy was announced, Kensington Palace said her due date was the “spring of 2019” – officially anywhere between the 20 March and 21 June.
After a royal event in March, Meghan reportedly told a fan she was six months pregnant and due at the end of April/beginning of May, according to the Express.
Do We Know The Gender Of The Baby?
Officially, no. Meghan reportedly said she didn’t know what the sex of her baby was to a young fan at the Endeavour Fund Awards. When asked the question by nine-year-old Kitty, the Duchess said: “We don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl, we are keeping it as a surprise.”
But of course, that hasn’t stopped fans guessing. And after decorations including armfuls of blush roses and a candy floss machine, were reportedly delivered to the New York hotel where the Duchess of Sussex had her baby shower, some fans think she is having a girl.
Is Meghan Having Twins?
Rumours that Meghan Markle is expecting twins comes from speculation over the size of her bump – which some reckon is bigger than usual at this size of her pregnancy (although we don’t exactly know what stage of her pregnancy she’s at!). There has not, however, been any word from the Palace.
Are There Any Baby Name Rumours?
Diana is apparently the bookies’ favourite name – currently at odds of 6-1, according to British bookmakers Coral. If the couple have a son, Albert and Philip are the most popular choices, both at 12-1 at the time of writing.
When the pregnancy was announced, Ladbrokes tweeted out the odds of 11 potential names, with Victoria and Albert being the most likely. Phillip, Charles, Elizabeth, James, Mary and William were also on the list.
But these rumours don’t always pan out. When the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge announced that they were to call their third child Louis, royal fans were shocked. They had assumed the most likely name for the third royal baby would be Albert, Arthur or James. Especially as Louis was already one of Prince George’s middle names.
Where Will The Baby Be In Line To The Throne?
Meghan and Harry’s child will be seventh in the line to the throne, after Charles, Prince William, his three children George, Charlotte and Louis, and then Harry. If you want to see a visual representation, you can check out a handy graphic by CNN here.
Will Meghan And Harry’s Child Get A Royal Title?
Meghan and Harry’s baby won’t automatically be a prince or princess. King George V’s 1917 decree states that only the oldest son of the Prince of Wales’s oldest son – Prince George, in this instance – is entitled to be a prince.
However, in January 2013, the Queen issued a formal decree to grant the title of prince or princess to all of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s children. The formal announcement at the time read: “The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 31 December 2012 to declare that all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour.”
The decree doesn’t currently apply to Prince Harry’s children, but it’s thought that the Queen may issue a similar ruling. Without the ruling, according to some reports, a son of the couple would take the title of Earl of Dumbarton (one of Harry’s titles), and a daughter would be known as Lady (first name) Mountbatten-Windsor. However, Reuters reported a girl would simply be called Lady Windsor.
Where Will The Family Live?
The family will live in Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor state. The newlyweds were living at Nottingham Cottage on the estate, but Kensington Palace confirmed in November 2018 they would move to Frogmore in early 2019 to prepare for the birth of their first child.