Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal baby: the due date, the gender and more revealed

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced on the 15 October that they were expecting their first child together, much to the delight of royal fans the world over! The couple, who married in May, released a statement through Kensington Palace which read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public." To celebrate the exciting news, we're taking a look at everything we know about the royal baby so far…

When is the royal baby due

Kensington Palace stated that Prince Harry and Meghan's bundle of joy will arrive in Spring 2019. The season begins on 20 March and ends on 21 June, however HELLO!'s royal correspondent Emily Nash has predicted that the pair will welcome their baby in April, writing: "By my calculations, the baby is due in late April. 16 is a good day to be born." This would mean Harry and Meghan would welcome their first child around the same time as Prince Louis' birthday, who was born on 23 April.

The couple tied the knot in May

Do we know if the Duchess is expecting a boy or a girl?

If Prince Harry and Meghan know the baby's gender, they will not give the game away. However, the father-to-be has previously admitted that he'd love to have a baby daughter. As for names, royals often have up to four, so there's plenty of scope to pay tribute to relatives. Elizabeth and Diana, along with Doria, must be frontrunners for a girl, while Philip, Charles and Thomas are all possibles for a boy.

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How old will Meghan be when she gives birth

Meghan celebrated her 37th birthday on 4 August, and so will be the same age when she welcomes her first child in the springtime in 2019. Meanwhile, Prince Harry celebrated his 34th birthday on 15 September. The royal has previously opened up about having children in the Telegraph's Mad World podcast back in 2017, saying: "I, of course, I would love to have kids. Yeah, I'm a godfather to quite a few of my friends' [children] … actually only five or six."

Will Meghan have a baby shower or a baby moon?

While it's not a common custom in Britain, Meghan's American and Canadian friends, such as Serena Williams and Jessica Mulroney, may well plan a little surprise for her. Serena held a Fifties-themed bash in a diner setting. Knowing Meghan's love of travel, Harry will no doubt want to whisk her off for a last romantic adventure before they become parents. Some winter sunshine looks like a safe bet.

Meghan is thought to be 12 weeks pregnant

Where will Meghan give birth?

The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to all three of her children at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, and it is likely that Meghan will follow suit. It is also where Princess Diana welcomed William and Harry. However,she could opt for a home birth at Kensington Palace, so give birth at a hospital near her Cotswolds home with Harry.

What will the baby's name be?

Betway has already revealed the baby name odds, with spokesperson Alan Alger saying: "Royal baby fever is back again and the betting on Harry and Meghan's first baby is up and running with plenty of interest. The early favourites are Victoria, 15/2, and James, 9/1, after a smattering of bets landed straight after this morning’s announcement, while Diana, like with William and Kate's baby betting down the years, is also popular at 12/1."

The couple previously spoke about wanting children together

Where will the baby live?

Harry and Meghan currently reside at the two-bedroom Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, and it is thought that the pair will remain living there when they welcome their first child together. Speaking about wanting children in their first engagement interview, Prince Harry said: "I think you know one step at a time, and hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future."

READ: The moment that the royal tour press found out about Meghan Markle's pregnancy - see photo

What will the baby's title be?

After the royal wedding, Harry and Meghan were given new titles - the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. But now, everyone wants to know whether their future children will be handed similar titles by the Queen. Since a dukedom can only be inherited by a male heir, if the couple welcome a daughter, they would not be given the title of duchess and will reportedly be known as Lady.

Will Baby Sussex have dual citizenship?

The US doesn't embrace dual citizenship. Meghan would simply have to present proof of the birth at a US consulate. Whether or not it has an American passport, the royal will no doubt be keen for her child to grow up with an appreciation of her native.

READ: Pregnant Meghan Markle already has a gift planned for her future baby daughter - and it's adorable

Will Doria be there for birth?

A royal spokesperson has said that Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, is "very happy about this lovely news," and "looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild". Since there has been speculation that the proud mum is looking to move to the UK to be closer to her daughter, it is thought that she almost certainly will be present for the birth of her first grandchild.

Doria is "very happy" about the news

Where do the Duke and Duchess plan to raise their family?

It's thought that the royal couple will move into Apartment 1, the newly renovated 21-room mansion next door to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Kensington Palace.

Is Meghan having twins?

Every time the Duchess of Cambridge has announced her pregnancy, speculation is rife that she is expecting twins, and Meghan's announcement has been no different. While royal twins would be simply adorable, Kensington Palace would have confirmed that the royal was expecting twins in the initial announcement, meaning that the royal couple are almost certainly expecting one baby.

When will the baby first meet The Queen?

The Queen, who will be delighted to welcome her eighth great-grandchild, visited Kate's children at home within a day
or two of their birth. It is likely that this will be the same case for Harry and Meghan's child.

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