Harry and Meghan baby: when is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s second child due - and how old is Archie?

The Royal couple announced they will have a second child with a candid photo leaning against a tree at their California home

Another bundle of joy is on the way for the royal family as the news broke that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expecting another baby.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the news of their second child in the late hours of Valentine’s Day, with a candid photo taken in the garden of their California home.

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Archie’s sibling will be eighth in line to the throne - preceded by Charles, William, George, Charlotte, Louis, Harry and Archie.

The royal couple will announced they are expecting their second child (Picture: Duke and Duchess of Sussex)The royal couple will announced they are expecting their second child (Picture: Duke and Duchess of Sussex)
The royal couple will announced they are expecting their second child (Picture: Duke and Duchess of Sussex)

So, when can we expect baby Sussex number two to be born? This is what you need to know.

When is baby Sussex due?

Harry and Meghan revealed on their Oprah Winfrey interview that their second child is due in the Summer.

However, they have not confirmed a date and, having stepped out of the spotlight to enjoy a more private life state-side, we could be left guessing right up until the birth.

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The couple announced the happy news just a few months after the Duchess of Sussex wrote a striking op-ed in The New York Times, sharing how they had lost a child in the early stages of pregnancy in July 2020.

Harry also revealed to Oprah that the child is a girl, they did not find out the gender of Archie until he was born.

Harry added: “a boy and a girl, what more could you ask for.”

She wrote: “In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage.

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“Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.”

Where will the baby be born?

Again, nothing has been confirmed. But it is largely expected that the couple will welcome baby number two in the US.

The Sussex’s currently live in a £11.2m mansion with their one-year-old son Archie Harrison in Montecito, California.

Due to coronavirus restrictions, it is unlikely the couple would fly back to the UK to bring their child into the world - this would also welcome unwanted speculation and media interest which the couple were keen to avoid when Meghan delivered Archie.

How did the couple announce their second child?

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Harry and Meghan have been significantly more low profile since moving to the US and stepping down from their royal duties in 2020.

The pair chose to announce the news of baby number two with a statement which read: “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.”

The statement was released with a picture of Harry and Meghan under a tree, him leaning against it barefoot and her resting her head on his legs.

Meghan lay with her side to the camera, showcasing an obvious baby bump.

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The picture was shared in black and white, similar to the photos of Archie’s christening and first christmas.

Who took the photo?

Harry and Meghan must have been keen to remain within coronavirus guidelines, as the pair did not invite a photographer into their garden for the shoot.

Their friend, Nigerian-born British photographer Misan Harriman was chosen to take the photos remotely.

Harriman tweeted: “Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow.”

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The snap was taken on an iPad, Harriman told Vogue: “they didn’t need any direction because they are... absolute soulmates.”

How did the couple pay tribute to Lady Diana Spencer?

Though neither Harry nor Meghan have commented publicly on their news, the couple did subtly pay tribute to Harry’s mother, Diana.

It was 37 years ago to the day from when Diana announced her pregnancy with Harry that the pair released the photo.

Harry said on his wedding day that “It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news… I’m sure she’s with us, yeah, you know, jumping up and down somewhere else.”

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Meghan’s engagement ring also contains diamonds that once belonged to Lady Diana, and her bouquet at their 2018 wedding also paid tribute to her.

The bouquet included Forget-me-Nots, Diana’s favourite flower. On the day of the wedding, Kensington Palace announced Harry had picked them from private gardens in the palace grounds.

The palace added: “The couple specifically chose them to be included in Ms. Markle’s bouquet to honour the memory of the late Princess on this special day,”

How old is Archie?

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born in London’s Portland Hospital on 6 May 2019.

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The one-year-old will have turned two by the time he welcomes a sibling.

He was born at 5.26am, though no announcement was made until much later that day.

The couple also chose not to present Archie to the world until some days later, with Harry speaking to the press from Frogmore House later on 6 May.

Harry said: "I haven't been at many births. This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I'm so incredibly proud of my wife. As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I'm just over the moon."

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He added: "It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined. How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension."

How did the other royals react to their pregnancy news?

It has been reported that the Queen and Prince Philip knew of the news before it was released publicly.

A statement from Buckingham Palace stated: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the entire family are delighted and wish them well."

The news came just one week after the Queen’s granddaughter, Eugenie, announced the birth of her son.