Royal pregnancy revealed as couple starts 16-day trip

CANBERRA, Australia — Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the duchess of Sussex, are expecting their first child in the spring.

The highly anticipated pregnancy was announced Monday just hours after Harry and the former Meghan Markle arrived in Sydney, Australia, at the start of a demanding 16-day visit that also includes Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.

The 34-year-old prince holds a special place in Britons’ hearts as one of the two children of the late Princess Diana. He had a bad boy phase but redeemed himself with years of military service and a devotion to helping injured veterans.

Harry gained even more respect last year by talking candidly about his struggle with mental health issues related to losing his mother to a car crash when he was only 12. Meghan, 37, is seen as a modernizing influence on the at times stodgy royal family, and she is credited by many with bringing happiness to Harry.

The announcement cleared up the mystery of why Meghan is not joining Harry when he climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Friday to raise the flag for the Invictus Games, which he founded in 2014 to give injured military personnel and veterans the opportunity to compete in sports such as wheelchair basketball. The games open on Saturday.

The royal baby would be seventh in line for the British throne.