Why Prince William Will Likely Be Left off Godparent List for Harry and Meghan Markle’s Baby

Meghan Markle is set to give birth to her first child in just around two months, with the Duchess of Sussex officially due in April. Once the baby is born, its godparents will soon be announced, but royal fans shouldn’t expect Prince William or Kate Middleton to be on that list.

It’s usually royal tradition that godparents are never close family members, since those adults will likely already have a major role in the child’s life due to their proximity to its parents. For example, Prince Louis, who was born in April 2018, has six godparents, none of whom are immediate family members.

Instead of close family, royal children often have family friends and more distant relatives as godparents. Harry is not a godfather to any of William and Middleton’s three children, so it’s extremely likely that the same will be said for William with Harry’s kids. Middleton’s sister Pippa and brother James are also not godparents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte or Prince Louis, so it’s not only Harry who received a purported snub when it comes to the title.

Rumored godparents to the Sussex’s unborn child include Markle’s close friend Jessica Mulroney and her husband Ben, Lindsay Jill Roth, who has been Markle’s good friend since college, and various longtime friends of Harry’s.

George Clooney and Amal Clooney were also previously rumored to be in contention for the role of godparents, though George seemed to shut that rumor down during a recent press panel for his upcoming Hulu series Catch-22.

“Oh yes, I’ll be the godfather of the royals apparently,” Clooney told reporters, according to Australia’s Who magazine.

“No!” he added. “I’m the father of twins, I have enough sh— to deal with—literally!”

Markle and Harry have not shared whether they are expecting a boy or a girl, though that announcement is typically never made until a royal baby is born.

Vanity Fair reports that Markle is preparing for her baby’s birth in multiple ways, including using acupuncture and natural birthing techniques, including “hypno-birthing.” She’s also reportedly working with a doula to assist with the birth.

“Meghan has been having regular acupuncture sessions to help her unwind and relax,” a source said. “It’s brilliant for the blood circulation and boosting blood flow to the uterus. She plans to use acupuncture right up to her due date.”

“Meghan is focused on calm and positive energy around the birth — she’s a big believer in that,” another source added to Us Weekly.

Photo Credit: Getty / WPA Pool