Meghan Markle Reportedly Gave Birth at Hospital, Not Home

Despite reports, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed their royal baby at a hospital, not at home.

A source confirmed the news to Us Weekly on Tuesday, May 7, just one day after baby Sussex arrived. The name of the hospital was not given, though it had been rumored throughout the pregnancy that should Markle opt to give birth at a hospital, it would be Surrey, England-located Frimley Park Hospital.

It had previously been believed that the duchess had given birth at the couple’s new residence on Windsor Estate, Frogmore Cottage. The official birth announcement released by Buckingham Palace seemed to allude to that fact.

“Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 5.26am,” the statement read in part, failing to provide the location of birth as is common in such announcements. “The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz. The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth.”

“The Duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild, is with Their Royal Highnesses at Frogmore Cottage,” it added, many believing that this confirmed a home birth.

It had also been widely speculated throughout the course of Markle’s pregnancy that she would opt to break tradition by reviving an older, long-dead royal tradition of giving birth at home.

“Doria plans to be around a lot when the baby arrives, and there are plans for her to have a dedicated space at their home,” a source had previously said. “She wants to be on hand to help Meghan and Harry with the baby. Doria will be involved and if she’s involved she will be encouraging Meg to for a natural birth.”

If Baby Sussex had been born at home, his birth would have followed in the footsteps of previous royals, including his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

For comparison, Harry himself, along with his older brother, Prince William, were born at St. Mary’s Lindo Wing. Kate Middleton also welcomed her three children – Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1 – at St. Mary’s, which has become a popular birthing location for royals and where the first photos of the little one are typically taken.

The Sussex’s, however, are breaking the post-birth photo call tradition as well, and are expected to share the first photos of their child, taken by a photographer on the grounds of Windsor Estate, on their Instagram account, @sussexroyal, in the coming days.