Prince Harry and Meghan having their second baby
Acquitted (again) and emboldened, he’s preparing to affirm his grip on power in his post-presidency life.
“We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announce.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting their second child, their office confirmed Sunday.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, said in a statement: “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”
In a black-and-white photo, the couple sat near a tree with Harry’s hand placed under Meghan’s head as she lies on his lap with her hand resting on her bump.
The baby will be eighth in line to the British throne.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and the entire family are delighted and wish them well.”
The duke told chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall in 2019 that he would have only two children for the sake of the planet. Goodall said, “Not too many,” and he replied, “Two, maximum.”
Harry and American actor Meghan Markle married at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son, Archie, was born a year later.
In early 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They recently bought a house in the Santa Barbara area.
In November, Meghan revealed that she had had a miscarriage in July, giving a personal account of the traumatic experience in hope of helping others.
A few days ago, the duchess won a privacy claim against a newspaper over the publication of a letter to her estranged father.
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump took in the win from Mar-a-Lago, surrounded by friends and family. His lawyers celebrated with hugs and smiles. One joked, “We’re going to Disney World!”
Acquitted in his second Senate impeachment trial, Trump is preparing for the next phase of his post-presidency life. Feeling emboldened by the trial’s outcome, he is expected to reemerge from self-imposed hibernation at his club in Palm Beach, Fla., and is eyeing ways to reassert his power.
But after being barred from Twitter, the former president lacks the social media bullhorn that fueled his political rise. And he’s confronting a Republican Party deeply divided over the legacy of his jarring final days in office, culminating in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. Searing video of the day played on a loop during his impeachment trial, which ended Saturday.
Trump remains popular among the GOP base, but many Republicans in Washington have cooled to him. Never before have so many members of a president’s party — seven, in this case — voted for his removal in a Senate trial. Some may work to counter efforts by Trump to support extreme candidates in next year’s congressional primaries.
Undeterred, friends and allies expect Trump to resume friendly media interviews after weeks of silence. He has met with aides to discuss efforts to help Republicans
try to take control of the House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections. He remains fixated on exacting revenge on Republicans who supported his impeachment or resisted his efforts to overturn the results of the November election.
“I imagine you’ll probably be hearing a lot more from him in the coming days,” senior advisor Jason Miller said.
In a statement after the impeachment vote, Trump offered few clues but told supporters their movement had “only just begun.”
“In the months ahead, I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people,” he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who spoke with Trump on Saturday night, acknowledged that the former president was “mad at some folks” but also “ready to move on and rebuild the Republican Party” and “excited about 2022.”
Graham said he has stressed to Trump, who has threatened to start his own party to punish disloyal Republicans, that the GOP needs him to win. “I said, ‘Mr. President, this MAGA movement needs to continue. We need to unite the party. Trump-plus is the way back in 2022,’ ” Graham told “Fox News Sunday.” “My goal is to win in 2022 to stop the most radical agenda I’ve seen coming out of the Democratic presidency of Joe Biden. We can’t do that without Donald Trump, so he’s ready to hit the trail, and I’m ready to work with him.”
Graham said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who voted to acquit but then delivered a denunciation of Trump, “got a load off a chest, obviously.” Graham said later: “If you want to get something off your chest, fine, but I’m into winning.”
At his Palm Beach club Saturday night, Trump was in a joyous mood as he dined on a patio packed with people. After a mellow several weeks, the club had a party atmosphere, a member said.
Still, Trump isn’t in the clear. No longer protected by a Justice Department opinion against the prosecution of sitting presidents, he faces multiple criminal investigations.
In Georgia, the Fulton County district attorney has opened a criminal investigation into “attempts to influence” the election, including Trump’s call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger demanding that the official find enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory.
In New York, Atty. Gen. Letitia James is investigating whether Trump and his company improperly inflated the value of his assets on annual financial statements to secure loans and obtain tax benefits. Manhattan Dist. Atty. Cyrus Vance Jr. continues his own investigation, which has included grand jury testimony.
How long Trump retains his grip on the party remains an open question, especially with a slew of 2024 candidates trying to take the mantle. Although the Senate failed to bar Trump from running again for office, many believe he has done too much damage to be a credible candidate in 2024.
Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.), who is retiring, said Trump’s refusal to accept the election results had “very badly damaged his reputation,” eclipsing his accomplishments in office.
“Instead,” Toomey said, “he’ll be remembered throughout history as the president who resorted to nonlegal steps to try to hold on to power.”
Please send letters to letters@latimes.com. For submission guidelines, see latimes.com/ letters or call 1-800-LA TIMES, ext. 74511.