It seems like just yesterday that Meghan Markle wed Prince Harry and officially became the
Duchess of Sussex.
Now, Markle is pregnant, due to deliver her first child in spring 2019.
So, what can Markle expect while she's expecting?
Here's the skinny on what you don't know about her pregnancy.
Salty, much?
It's possible that some folks weren't so jazzed about the fanfare and non-stop fussing over
Markle's future bundle of joy.
One of those people might be reportedly the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, who is said
to feel like Markle stole her thunder or rather, that of her daughter, Princess Eugenie.
One minute after the Kensington Palace tweet announcing Markle’s pregnancy went live,
Ferguson posted a photo of herself from her daughter's wedding three days prior, thanking
Emanuel Ungaro for designing her dress.
She followed that with another four tweets — all of them bursting with pride about
Eugenie's recent nuptials to Jack Brooksbank.
Sounds like Ferguson wanted to keep all eyes on her and her daughter.
Hiding her baby bump
Meghan Markle managed to keep her pregnancy under wraps until after she hit the 12-week
mark but how?
Apparently, with a lot of fashion magic.
As noted by People magazine, Markle started adjusting her wardrobe in August to obscure
her changing figure by sporting baggier clothes than usual -- including billowing shirtdresses
and roomy coats, even in warm weather.
Risky business
Born on August 4th, 1981, the Duchess of Sussex will be 37 years old when she gives birth
to her first child.
And while 37 is certainly still young, there are some risks Markle could face during her
pregnancy.
According to the Mayo Clinic, women 35 and older could be at risk for several complications
that younger moms-to-be don't have to stress about so much -- including gestational diabetes,
high blood pressure during pregnancy, and having to deliver via C-section.
Fortunately, plenty of women get pregnant and deliver children after 35 -- and it’s
reported that Markle will be under the supervision of 20 medical professionals.
As Dr. Tiong Ghee Teoh, who was on the medical team that delivered Princess Charlotte, told
Town & Country about Kate Middleton’s pregnancies:
“We had a huge team.
For anything that could possibly go wrong, we had a team of people behind each specialty.”
The naming game
One of the big questions on everyone’s minds is what the the Duchess of Sussex and her
princely beau will name their royal tot.
Unlike most expecting parents, Meghan and Harry can't just pick any name they please
out of a baby book.
As reported by Vogue, the baby’s name has to bear history in mind, pay respect to family
members and be somewhat contemporary so it doesn't sound archaic.
No pressure, right?
Luckily, there are plenty of options on the table.
And according to experts, it’s possible we already know the royal baby’s name.
A Betfair spokesperson revealed to Express:
“At this stage, Diana, Arthur, and Alice [...] are the 12 to 1 frontrunners.”
Let the speculation commence!
Don’t expect a baby shower
According to royal expert Victoria Arbiter, baby showers are not an option due to the
fact that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are already well off.
As Arbiter revealed to Express:
“A lavish baby shower would be seen as highly inappropriate.
There's nothing they can't go out and buy themselves."
And considering royal protocol is for the baby’s name and gender to stay private until
after the birth, you could say a gender reveal party is definitely off the table.
All tell the Queen
Legions of the royal family's fans will be on pins and needles the day Meghan Markle
goes into labor, presumably inside the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital.
But, no matter how drenched in anticipation admirers might be, they’ll know nothing
until the Queen has all the deets.
According to the U.S. News & World Report, royal protocol is for the royal family’s
matriarch to be the first to be informed of the new baby’s birth, as well as his or
her gender, birth weight, and birth time.
So, how will the rest of us learn about the new royal tot?
First, doctors will sign an official hospital document with the birth details on palace
letterhead.
Then, a royal aide will give the document to an official who will drive it from the
hospital to the palace.
Finally, the document will be posted on an easel for the public to see, and the royals’
social media accounts will be updated with the happy news.
Another royal redhead?
There’s no question that Meghan Markle is gorgeous, and Prince Harry definitely isn’t
lacking in the looks department, either.
While their baby will certainly be adorable, it’s only natural for the public to ponder
which of his or her parents the newest royal child will take after the most.
Even though Markle is a brunette, there’s still a chance that the baby will be a redhead
like Prince Harry.
According to the book Red: A History of the Redhead, the gene that causes red hair is
recessive.
If Markle happens to be a carrier of that gene, there’s a good chance the baby could
have red locks!
We can’t wait to find out.