Kensington Palace has announced that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex are expecting their first child in spring of 2019. The news comes five months after the royal couple were married at Windsor Castle.
The regal duo’s expected child will be seventh in line to the British throne, after Prince Charles, Prince William and his three children, and Prince Harry, himself. Queen Elizabeth II will be the child’s great-grandmother, and her son, Prince Charles, will be the grandfather.
The royal family congratulated the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Friday, as they gathered at Windsor Castle to celebrate Princess Eugenie’s marriage to Jack Brooksbank. Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, stated she was ‘very happy about this lovely news and she looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild.’
British Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated the pair via Twitter, stating:
"My warmest congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the happy news they are expecting a baby in the Spring. Wishing them all the best."
Harry and Meghan spoke about their interest in starting a family in an interview, shortly after their engagement in November 2016. While the Duke of Sussex previously stated he wished to have a big family, he has more recently said that the pair will take it ‘one step at a time.’
The announcement was made just a few hours after the royal pair arrived in Sydney, beginning a 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. The tour will include visiting the Sydney zoo, the famous Sydney Opera house and attending the Invictus games; a multi-sports event for wounded army personnel that Prince Harry organized in 2014.
Apart from a brief trip to Ireland, the tour is the only international trip made by the couple since their wedding in May of this year. The pregnancy has not altered any plans made by Harry and Meghan for their trip.
