Princess Diana Recalled Pressure of Giving Birth — and Said Prince Charles Wished Harry Was a Girl

The world is highly anticipating the arrival of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s first child — a feeling with which Princess Diana was all too familiar.

In Andrew Morton’s Diana: Her True Story, the royal revealed that she felt an enormous amount of pressure from the media surrounding the birth of her first child, Prince William. In fact, it was so “unbearable” that she was induced – but they had to pick a day that didn’t interfere with Prince Charles‘ polo schedule.

“When we had William, we had to find a date in the diary that suited Charles and his polo,” she said. “William had to be induced because I couldn’t handle the press pressure any longer, it was becoming unbearable. It was as if everyone was monitoring every day for me.”

Princess Diana added, “Anyway, the boy arrived, great excitement. Thrilled, everyone absolutely high as a kite – we had found a date where Charles could get off his polo pony for me to give birth. That was very nice, felt grateful about that!”

The birth of Prince Harry came with its own issues. Diana said in the book that Prince Charles had always wanted a daughter.

“I knew Harry was going to be a boy because I saw on the scan,” she explained. “Charles always wanted a girl. He wanted two children, and he wanted a girl. I knew Harry was a boy, and I didn’t tell him.”

When Diana delivered their second son, Charles barely hid his disappointment.

“First comment was: ‘Oh God, it’s a boy,’ second comment: ‘And he’s even got red hair,’ ‘ Diana recounted.

She went on to say that Charles expressed being letdown again at Harry’s christening, telling Diana’s mother, ‘We were so disappointed – we thought it would be a girl.’ “

“Mummy snapped his head off, saying: ‘You should realized how lucky you are to have a child that’s normal.’ Every since that day the shutters have come down, and that’s what he does when he gets somebody answering back at him,” Diana said.

Although her relationship briefly improved before the birth of Prince Harry – Diana said she and Charles were “the closest we’ve ever, ever been and ever will be” in the six weeks leading up to their second child’s arrival – it didn’t last.

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“Then, suddenly, as Harry was born, it just went bang, our marriage. The whole thing went down the drain,” Diana said, referencing her husband’s rekindled affair with his now-wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

In contrast to Princess Diana’s very public post-birth appearance, Meghan and Harry announced that they are keeping the plans around the arrival of their baby private, which means royal fans should not expect for Meghan to pose on the steps of a hospital (like Kate Middleton did after the birth of each of her three children as well). The palace will, however, announce when the Duchess of Sussex is in labor.

Royal fans will get to see the couple with their new baby soon after the birth. Within a few days after welcoming their first child, Meghan and Harry will take part in a photo op with their new baby on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

”Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family,” a statement released by Buckingham Palace read.