Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Baby Be an American Citizen

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's royal baby is on the way, and along with being the couple's first child, the little prince or princess may also be the first royal to hold dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and United States.

According to the U.S. Travel Department, a child born abroad in wedlock to a U.S. citizen (Markle) and an alien (Harry) acquires U.S. citizenship at birth if the American parent has lived in the United States for five years prior to the baby's birth, with two of those years after the age of 14.

Born in Los Angeles, California to Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle Sr. in 1981, Markle remained in the U.S. until her 2016 engagement to Prince Harry, and while she intends to "become a U.K. citizen and will go through the process of that," at the time of baby Sussex's birth, she will still hold U.S. citizenship. That means that the royal baby will be born as an American citizen.

Given that Prince Harry is a citizen of the U.K., and, according to the U.K. government, a child born to at least one British or Irish citizen will be a British citizen, the royal baby will essentially have "dual citizenship," making them the first member of the Royal Family to do so. However, Harry and Markle must report the birth to an American consulate in order for baby Sussex "to function" like any other American citizen.

"There's a form that they fill out, which is called the U.S. consular report of birth abroad, and that then serves as the child's proof of U.S. citizenship," Doris Meissner, commissioner of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service under President Bill Clinton, told The New York Times. "With that, they are also eligible to apply for a passport."

Although born an American citizen, it is likely that baby Sussex would renounce that citizenship once he or she reaches adulthood in order to protect the royal family's finances to audit by the IRS. Markle is expected to do the same.

Should baby Sussex choose not to renounce their citizenship, it would mean that they would not only be seventh in line to the British throne, but could also dip his or her toes in U.S. politics and even sit behind a desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States.

The newest royal is set to arrive sometime in April, joining royal cousins Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.