Why you won’t see Harry and Meghan do this on the day their baby’s born
THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex have told aides to keep arrangements for the birth of their baby private.
The couple were said to have taken a ‘personal decision’ to maintain a high level of privacy around the birth of their first child, which is expected in the very near future.
The decision by Harry and Meghan not to announce the names of their medical team or a chosen hospital saw bookmakers slash the odds on them opting for a home birth.
The Daily Mail revealed this week that a midwife-led home birth was the ‘favoured choice’ of Meghan, 37, although she told friends she had not ruled out a hospital delivery.
Sources said the couple wanted to avoid the glare of publicity which surrounded the births of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s three children, which saw huge numbers of media and well-wishers gather outside the Lindo Wing, the private maternity unit of St Mary’s Hospital in west London.
There will also be no public photocall, in stark contrast to William and Kate, who posed on the steps of the hospital to present their newborns to the world only hours after the births of Prince George in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015 and Prince Louis last year.
The photocall had become a tradition for royal watchers, but while William and his oldest child George are the second and third-in-line to the throne, Harry and his son or daughter are not in the direct line of succession.
He appears to have followed the lead of his cousin Zara Tindall, who did not announce the arrangements for the births of her two daughters.
Buckingham Palace will announce when the Duchess of Sussex goes into labour, but not whether she has been admitted to hospital.
A second announcement will be made after the baby is born, when aides expect to be able to announce details of the baby’s gender, its birth weight and the place of birth.
The news will be confirmed only after the new parents have had the chance to tell their family and friends, as was the case with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s three children.
A source told the Daily Mail: ‘They want a couple of hours just to enjoy being parents for the first time before the rest of the world is told. It’s perfectly natural as it’s such an important moment in anyone’s life.’
Two days later the new parents and their child will pose for photographs in Windsor.
The baby’s name will not be announced immediately. The name Diana remains the bookmakers’ favourite if the child is a girl, followed by Victoria and Alice. Albert and Philip are the most popular boy’s names.
The child will be seventh in line of succession and may not be styled an HRH if the Sussexes follow Prince Edward and Princess Anne, who wanted less public attention on their children.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby.
‘Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The duke and duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.’
Meghan has been considering a midwife-led home birth at Frogmore Cottage, near Windsor, although friends stressed that the duchess had not ruled out a hospital delivery if needed.
It is understood that she and Harry, 34, felt the Lindo Wing and the surrounding publicity was too much like a ‘goldfish bowl’.
The couple have made repeated pleas for greater privacy, and their decision to move to Frogmore Cottage was said to reflect their wishes to raise their family away from public attention.
Meanwhile expectant father Harry was handed baby gifts from well-wishers as he officially opened a £6.15million youth centre in Barking, east London.
He chatted with former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward and his wife Jayne in the sports hall of the Future Youth Zone, and played a quick game of touch rugby with him.
Lady Woodward, who has known Harry since he was a teenager, said the duke had exhibited no sign of nerves about his impending fatherhood.
‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘I think he’s just so excited. He will make the most wonderful father.’
‘A couple of hours to enjoy being parents’