Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Baby Announcement Causes Royal Stir on Social Media

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced Monday that they are expecting their first child together, causing quite a stir on social media. Many fans had already guessed that Markle was pregnant, considering her subtle changes in wardrobe as of late — but they were excited nonetheless for the newlyweds.

“Yay! I KNEW it! That coat dress was a dead giveaway!” one fan wrote, referencing the navy Givenchy dress Markle wore to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s wedding on Friday. The dress created a tent-like silhouette, making many fans wonder if she was hiding a small bump beneath it.

Others praised the couple for waiting until after Eugenie and Brooksbank‘s Royal Wedding to reveal the news.

“How nice that they waited until after Fridays wedding so focus could be on Eugenie (although that gorgeous coat and dress gave it away so is that why it was announced today?)” one fan wrote.

“Lovely news and the very best of wishes to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Royal Family. I just knew this was looming. Meghan is a class act and the outfit choice for the wedding of Eugenie and Jack was obviously to not take the focus off the couple on the day,” someone else wrote.

Others were more simple in their reaction.

“IM SO EXCITED!!!!!!” someone said.

“Awwwwwwwwww!!! Congrats harry and Meghan,” another person wrote.

“Well that didn’t take him long,” someone joked, sharing a gif of Prince Harry.

“Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex,” someone else said. “So happy for the lovely couple #RoyalBaby.”

The hashtag #RoyalBaby immediately began trending on Twitter, as did Prince Harry and Markle’s names.

The announcement came after Markle and Harry touched down in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday local time to kick off their 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji.

Kensington Palace shared the happy news on its official social media channels. “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,” the announcement read.

“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,” the statement continued.

It will be the first child for both Harry and Meghan, who was previously married to producer Trevor Engelson for six years. She and Harry famously tied the knot in May. The baby is due in the spring of 2019 and will join cousins Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 3, and Prince Louis, 6, months, from Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The child will be seventh in line to the throne, behind Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Prince Harry.

Both Harry and Markle have opened up in the past about wanting kids. In their engagement interview with BBC last year, Harry said that “Hopefully we’ll start a family in the near future.”

In 2015, he told Sky News that he was waiting for the right moment. “Of course, I would love to have kids right now, but there is a process that one has to go through,” he said at the time. “It would be great to have someone else next to me, but the time will come. Whatever happens, happens.”

That same year, Markle told Lifestyle that she was looking forward to starting a family.

“It’s all about balance, and I have so much happiness in my career and am fortunate to travel the world and see so many amazing things — it will also be nice to be anchored to something grounded and in the same place,” she said. “Raising a family will be a wonderful part of that.”