THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX REVEALS HER MATERNITY LEAVE PLANS
AS THE BIRTH OF HER BABY NEARS, THE DUCHESS OF SUSSEX IS ALREADY CONSIDERING FUTURE ROYAL DUTIES
She may still be enjoying the last few weeks of pregnancy, but the Duchess of Sussex’s thoughts have reportedly already turned to after her maternity leave. It is believed the diligent duchess has already pencilled in her first post-baby engagement – the annual summit for charity One Young World in October. If all goes to plan, 37-year-old Meghan will take just six months off.
According to royal insiders, Meghan has the full support of 34-year-old Prince Harry, who is said to be in awe of his wife’s hard working attitude and commitment to her charities.
The reports come just a week after Meghan is believed to have started maternity leave. Kensington Palace did not officially confirm her plans, but revealed Meghan ‘did not currently have any more official engagements scheduled’.
Perhaps Meghan has been taking the advice of her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, who apparently regretted returning to public life too quickly after giving birth to both Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Kate returned to work just five weeks after giving
birth to George in July 2013 and after four months following the birth of Charlotte in May 2015. However, when it came to her third child, Prince Louis, Kate removed herself from official engagements for six months.
More immediately pressing for Meghan and Harry, however, is that renovation work on their new family home, Frogmore Cottage, Windsor, has been delayed. Their move-in date is said to be creeping ever closer to Meghan’s reported end of April due date, no doubt causing untold stress to the heavily pregnant duchess. It is believed the £3million renovations have been delayed due to some last minute design changes.
The duke and duchess are said to be spending £50,000 soundproofing their new five-bedroom home from noise created by nearby Heathrow Airport. The royal pair are said to feel the cost is a small price to pay to block out noise from the 14 flights that pass within a few miles of their new home every half an hour.
The eye-watering bill is thought to include triple glazed windows, but local resident Karen Shawcroft insists it’s money well spent. ‘It’s an awful racket,’ she said of living under the Heathrow flight path.
It was also reported last week that Meghan is considering following in Kate’s footsteps by giving birth at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London.
The news comes despite suggestions that she could break with tradition by picking another hospital such as The Portland, where Victoria Beckham gave birth to her children, or Frimley Park in Surrey where Sophie, Countess of Wessex welcomed Lady Louise Windsor.
A source revealed: ‘Having weighed up the options, and in acknowledgement of its place in royal tradition, they consider [The Lindo Wing] the superior choice.’
Private birthing suites at the wing cost £7,500 a night with facilities including en suite bathrooms and on site chefs.
And the duchess is said to be keen for her son or daughter to be musical. She’s said to have asked friend Elton John to teach them to play the piano.