The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Meghan and Harry, are expecting their first baby.
Although ‘baby’ is a stretch, if they turn out like these composites that we generated using facial recognition. Be warned, it can’t be unseen.
Now that Kensington Palace has confirmed the pregnancy, the obsessive speculation has begun, with the media trying to predict everything from Meghan’s maternity wear to what the unborn child will be named and who they will play with.
So here’s everything you need to know, courtesy of TIME and Sky News, about what will happen after the royal foetus becomes a royal baby:
Line of succession
The royal baby will be seventh in line for the throne. The new addition to the royal family will bump Prince Andrew into eighth place. Prince William is second in line to the throne behind his father, Prince Charles, which means that William’s kids are ahead of the new baby in the line of succession.
To break it down for you, even further, the line of succession will be as follows:
- Prince Charles
- Prince William
- Prince George
- Princess Charlotte
- Prince Louis
- Prince Harry
- Harry and Meghan’s unborn child
- Prince Andrew
- Princess Beatrice
- Princess Eugenie
When is the Baby due?
The royal couple’s news was confirmed by a 12-week-scan, which usually takes place between eight and 14 weeks of pregnancy.
This means that Meghan and Harry did it between early July and mid-August while visiting Ireland. Here’s a picture of them when they were in Ireland:
Yep, seems likely.
If you do the math, then the new royal is expected in around six months time – so April 2019.
Potential baby names
Royal naming tradition sees the same names recycled over and over again. If Harry and Meghan decide to stick to tradition then Mary, Elizabeth or Victoria are likely names for a girl. For a boy, Philip, Charles, Arthur, Edward or James are the popular choices.
That said, Meghan is American, so she has that to draw on. In the US at the moment, the most popular name for a girl is Emma, and for a boy, Liam.
Or they could just go full pop culture and name the kid after an Instagram filter.
Also, what are the odds on Diana for a girl – maybe as a middle name?
Meghan’s thoughts on motherhood
Back in 2014, Meghan wrote an article for her website, The Tig, where she reflected on how her mother raised her as a child.
She touches on “jogs together in the neighbourhood” and being made to have breakfast before going to school.
The sentimental piece centres around how Meghan has grown to realise everything her mother Doria Ragland did for her when she was a child.
Meghan writes: “She was keeping me safe. She was teaching me to take care of my body.
“She was introducing me to history, and fostering a love of being outdoors.”
Meghan adds: “To all of the wonderful mamas in the word, thank you”.
“For all the lessons, for all the love.”
She is sure to take her mom’s lessons into account when advising the staff on how to take care of the royal baby.
Hopefully, this is the last time we speak of the baby for a while.
