Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s First Royal Baby: Everything We Know About Baby Sussex

The world is sitting on pins and needles as they await the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s fist royal baby.

The couple announced the exciting news that they were expecting back in October, just as they kicked off their 16-day international tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga.

“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,” Kensington Palace announced. “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.”

Since then, baby Sussex has been the focus of headlines as well as swirling rumors surrounding everything from the littlest royal’s nursery to their name, due date, gender, and where they will be raised.

Keep scrolling to see everything we already know about baby Sussex!

Where will Baby Sussex be born?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be keeping plans for the birth of their baby private, including the exact location of where their child will be born, according to a statement released by Buckingham Palace in early April.

“Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private,” the statement read. “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.”

Markle’s sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, gave birth to all three of her children at the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital Paddington in London, where the late Princess Diana also gave birth to Prince William and Prince Harry. However, in recent weeks, it had been reported that the Duchess of Sussex would be straying away from tradition by giving birth elsewhere, likely closer to her new home in Windsor.

It has also been speculated that Duchess may opt for a homebirth, though those reports have not been confirmed.

Baby Sussex May Share a Birthday with another member of the Royal Family

Meghan Markle is set to give birth in late April or early May, and with spring being a popular time for new royals to make their way into the world, baby Sussex may share a birthday with another member of the Royal Family.

Currently, bookies have their money on the due date being Sunday, April 21, which is not only Easter Sunday, but also Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. This year, she will be turning 93.

On Tuesday, April 23, Prince Louis will celebrate his first birthday, meaning that if Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s little one is born on that day, the two youngest royals will be exactly a year apart.

The birthday of Meghan and Harry’s baby could also fall near that of Princess Charlotte’s, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s second oldest child, who was born on May 2.

It is also possible that the newest royal could be born on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding anniversary, April 29.

Will Baby Sussex be a little prince or a little princess and what will their name be?

Keeping with tradition, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not revealed the sex of their baby-on-the-way, nor have they revealed any potential names for the little royal, though there is plenty of speculation.

Should baby Sussex be a girl, as predicted by Betfair betting odds, top contenders for her name, according to The William Hill Agency, are Diana (at 4/1 and paying homage to the late Princess Diana), Victoria, Alice, Grace, and Elizabeth.

If baby Sussex is a boy, a chance that the betting odds currently state is 6/4, the most likely names seem to be Albert, Arthur, and James.

As for whether the Duke and Duchess’ first child, and any children to come later, will have a royal title, it’s all up to Queen Elizabeth. According to the 1917 Letters Patent, signed by the unborn royal’s great-great-great-grandfather, King George V, only immediate heirs to the throne receive a HRH or prince or princess title.

The Queen overturned the rule ahead of the birth of Prince Charlotte, and it is possible that she will do the same for the Sussex children. Should that be so, and should the Duke and Duchess accept the HRH titles for their children, their names would be styled as His Royal Highness Prince (His Name) of Sussex for sons, while daughters will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess (Her Name) of Sussex.

Who will be the royal baby’s godparents?

The world won’t officially know who will be named as Baby Sussex’s godparents until after the little one is born, but there is already plenty of speculation.

“It’s likely we’ll see close friends of Harry and Meghan, close friends of Diana and her family, and perhaps close friends of Prince Charles too,” royal expert Victoria Arbiter told Global News, adding that a clear front-runner is Markle’s close friend Jessica Mulroney.

“She has been an amazing friend, and she has an amazing background in terms of her marriage to Ben Mulroney, whose father was prime minister [of Canada],” she said. “They would be able to offer wisdom about being in the public eye.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton not being named is not a diss at them or a clue to any rumored royal feud, but rather part of royal tradition. Members of the British Royal Family typically refrain from selecting siblings as godparents, as was evidenced when it was announced that Prince Louis’ godparents were a diverse group of close friends and extended family.

Where will Baby Sussex sit in the British line of succession?

When baby Sussex makes his or her way into the world, the British line of succession will inevitably be altered.

The first child of Prince Harry and Meghan will sit seventh in line to the British throne, with any siblings to follow in the coming year set to take spots eight and downward.

The current line of succession is as follows:
1. Prince Charles
2. Prince William
3. Prince George
4. Princess Charlotte
5. Prince Louis
6. Prince Harry
7. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby

While that is an awfully high spot in line, it is likely too far down for the little one to ever have a chance at being called King or Queen, especially considering that if their aunt and uncle, Prince William and Kate Middleton, have any more children, baby Sussex’s place in line will be pushed further down.

Will baby Sussex be American, British, or Both?

Baby Sussex will not only be a first for his parents, but a first in the British Royal Family, as they will hold dual citizenship.

Born to a British citizen, their father Prince Harry, and an American citizen (Markle was born in California in 1981 and has not yet revoked her American citizenship), baby Sussex will be the first member of the Royal Family to hold dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and United States.

As exciting as that is, it is likely that by the time baby Sussex reaches adulthood, he or she will revoke their American citizenship in order to protect the royal family’s finances to audit by the IRS.

Where will Baby Sussex grow up?

Unlike his or her’s royal cousins, baby Sussex will grow up wandering the grounds at Frogmore Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s newly-renovated 18th century home on the grounds of Windsor Estate, about 30 miles from London.

It had been announced in November that the Duke and Duchess had made the decision to move to the property in order to “prepare for the arrival of their first child…The couple have lived at Nottingham Cottage since their engagement last year. Windsor is a very special place for Their Royal Highnesses, and they are very grateful that their official residence will be on the estate.”

Boasting lush gardens, green fields, and a serene lake, Frogmore Cottage offers the growing family privacy that they would not be allowed at Kensington Palace.

The couple officially made big move to Windsor in early April, just ahead of baby Sussex’s birth.

Who will the royal baby’s playmates be?

Once baby Sussex is steady on his or her feet, they will have plenty of friends both on the grounds of Buckingham Palace and back in Markle’s home country of the United States.

Among the little one’s playmates in England will be Queen Elizabeth’s seven other great-grandchildren, including Savannah and Isla Phillips the daughters of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly; Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton; and Mia and Lena Tindall, the daughters of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.

Baby Sussex’s playmates won’t exclusively live in Britain, however, as he or she will also have friends across the pond, such as Jessica Mulroney’s children, Isabel Veronica Mulroney, Brian Gerald Alexander Mulroney, and John Benedict Dimitri Mulroney.