Meghan Markle's Pregnancy: What You Don't Know About It
It seems like just yesterday that Meghan Markle said "I do" to Prince Harry in St. George's Chapel and officially became the Duchess of Sussex. We remember the dress, the pomp and circumstance, and the palpable joy of the ceremony. It felt like nothing could top the widespread love that both Americans and Brits alike heaped on the newly minted royal couple.
Until the world received confirmation that Markle is indeed pregnant, that is. After months of rampant speculation from every corner of the Internet, Kensington Palace informed the world via a tweet that Markle is "expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019." Additionally, according to People magazine, Markle has safely made it past the 12-week milestone, and is "feeling well." Guys, it's really happening!
So, what can Markle expect while she's expecting? And what about the start of her journey into motherhood has slipped under the radar? Here's the skinny on what you don't know about Meghan Markle's pregnancy.
The announcement might have made someone salty
Once Markle announced her pregnancy to the public, people just about lost their minds with excitement. After all, it's not every day that an American woman marries a British prince — and then quickly becomes pregnant with his baby, who will be the first mixed-race child in the British royal family (via CBS News)!
But it's possible that some folks weren't so jazzed about the fanfare and might have even feel a little salty about the non-stop fussing over Markle's future bundle of joy. One of those sour people might have been the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, who may have felt like Markle stole her thunder — or rather, that of her daughter, Princess Eugenie.
The cause for this speculation? Well, for one, literally one minute after the Kensington Palace tweet went live, Ferguson posted a photo of herself from her daughter's wedding three days prior, thanking Emanuel Ungaro for designing her dress. She followed that with another four tweets — all of them bursting with pride about Eugenie's recent nuptials to Jack Brooksbank. Sounds like Ferguson wanted to keep all eyes on her and her daughter.
Markle had to hide her bump from the world
It's no secret that being a royal means you're under near-constant scrutiny from the press. Everyone wants to know the scoop before everyone else, which means keeping a secret from the media is in and of itself an accomplishment. So, we can only imagine the lengths that Markle went to in order to keep her pregnancy as private as possible, despite the constant Internet chatter.
How did the Duchess manage to keep her pregnancy under wraps then, until after she hit the 12-week mark? With a lot of fashion magic, according to People magazine, who documented the many ways in which Markle adapted her wardrobe to obscure her burgeoning baby bump. For one, starting in August, the magazine observed that the bride was sporting baggier clothing than usual, sporting a "billowing shirtdress" and wearing "roomy coats" in warm weather. It was also noted that she carried "props" such as binders and bouquets in front of her belly to avert curious gazes.
Here are the risks she might face
With her flawless skin, glossy hair, perfect smile, and fit frame, who doesn't wish they looked as good as the Duchess of Sussex? But believe it or not, Markle was born in 1981, meaning that she's in her late 30s — yeah, we can't believe it either. So, what does that mean for her pregnancy?
According to the Mayo Clinic, women 35 and older could be at risk for several conditions that younger moms-to-be don't have to stress about so much. They include gestational diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as the risks that they'll need to deliver via C-section, that their children are born a low birth weight, that their kids will have a higher risk for chromosomal abnormalities, and that there will be a higher risk for pregnancy loss. Can we say yikes?
Fortunately, plenty of women get pregnant and deliver children after 35, so things are likely to be okay all around, especially with the help of healthy choices. So, chances are that Markle will be extra careful with her diet, will stay active, and will check in regularly with her doctors. We're pretty sure she has this on lock.
We might already know the baby's name
One of the big questions everyone's wondering is what the Duchess of Sussex and her princely beau will name their royal tot. As it turns out, they can't just pick any name they please out of a baby book, according to Vogue. That's because, of course, there are rules and conventions that the couple must follow. The name has to bear history in mind, as well as pay respect to family members — and be contemporary so it doesn't sound archaic. No pressure, right?
In spite of the regulations that must be followed, there are still plenty of options on the table. And we might even know the royal baby's name already, according to Betfair Spokesperson Katie Baylis. "At this stage Diana, Arthur and Alice, which was favourite at different stages for Kate and William's babies, are the 12/1 front runners," she shared with Express. The odds are subject to change, however, and other names could emerge as contenders. Let the speculation commence!
The disease that might concern her while traveling
For any woman, being pregnant means you have to be much more careful about what you eat and what you drink — suddenly you become aware of the risks in everything! And it certainly makes travel trickier, too.
Given that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry do a good amount of traveling — it's definitely in the job description — it's likely that they were concerned about the potential hazards that might await them at their destinations. That's why, according to People magazine, the pair probably sought medical advice about the Zika virus before embarking on their trip to Fiji and Tonga. "I'm sure that they will have sought travel health advice in terms of protective methods in terms of mosquito bites," noted Professor James G. Logan, Head of the Department of Disease Control at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. "There is a lot you can do to minimize risks." We suspect they'll be super careful.
There won't be a baby shower or a gender reveal party
With every rite of passage, such as graduating, getting married, or becoming pregnant, come ceremonies and celebrations to mark the occasion. But when it comes to how Markle will commemorate her first pregnancy, some of the traditional festivities are off the table because — you guessed it — there are rules to follow and conventions to observe.
For one, according to royal expert Victoria Arbiter, baby showers are not an option due to the fact that Markle and her husband are already well off. "A lavish baby shower would be seen as highly inappropriate," she noted to Express. "There's nothing they can't go out and buy themselves."
Additionally, a gender reveal party is also off the table, and not just because it's a controversial practice. Rather, since the baby's name and sex will not made public until after the birth — as is royal protocol — such a party would reveal that information prematurely, and, well, we just can't have that!
She'll have a team of 20 medical professionals
Like the expectant royal mothers who have come before her, Markle will not have to navigate her pregnancy alone, wondering if she's taking the right vitamins and minerals. Rather, like her sister-in-law Kate Middleton, Markle will likely have 20 of the top medical staff in Britain attending to her and her baby's health and welfare. Talk about royal treatment!
The doctors and other staff who attend to royal pregnancies are careful to plan for every contingency, too. "We had a huge team," noted Professor Tiong Ghee Teoh, a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist, in Town & Country magazine. He was on the medical team that delivered Princess Charlotte. "For anything that could possibly go wrong we had a team of people behind each specialty." And, of course, everyone on staff was sworn to secrecy.
The staff isn't just available for the birth either. "We were on call for three months," added anesthesiologist Dr. Johanna Bray. And since these pros never know when they might be called, they always have to be prepared — better stay sober at all times!
This is who will know about the birth first
Legions of the royal family's fans will be on pins and needles the day Meghan Markle checks into, presumably, the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital, eagerly awaiting news of the baby's birth. But, no matter how drenched in anticipation admirers may get, they're going to have to wait to find out anything until one specific person gets the deets. That person? You guessed it: Queen Elizabeth II. According to protocol, the family matriarch will be the first to be informed of the baby's birth, as well as the newborn's sex, birth weight, and birth time, according to U.S. News & World Report.
So, how will the rest of us learn about the kiddo? Well, first, doctors will sign an official hospital document with the birth details on palace letterhead. Next, a royal aide will give the document to an official, who will drive it from the hospital to the palace. Then, the document will be posted on a wooden easel for all of the public to see, and the royal social media accounts will be updated. Only then will we know anything!
Could she have a redhead?
Based on how gorgeous Meghan Markle is (seriously, who looks that good in every single photograph?) and husband Prince Harry's dreamy countenance, there's little question that their child will be a stunner. And we can't wait to see who the baby takes after — and whose features will be the most pronounced in the next generation.
Of course, even though Markle is a brunette, there's a chance that the baby will be a redhead like its father. That's because the gene that causes red hair is recessive, according to Red: A History of the Redhead by Jacky Colliss Harvey. So as long as Markle is a carrier, which she very well could be, there's a chance her baby will be a ginger.
People might think that, since Markle is biracial, she can't have a ginger baby, but that's not true. According to The Big Redhead Book by Erin La Rosa, there are indeed redheads of color. Guess we'll just have to wait and see!