The global adoration for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has reached a new level with the exciting recent announcement of Meghan’s pregnancy. The royal couple will welcome their first child in the spring of 2019. Kensington Palace made the official announcement just before the couple embarked on their 16-day tour to visit Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. pic.twitter.com/Ut9C0RagLk
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2018
Not long after rumours of the pregnancy began to spread, sources confirmed that The Duke and Duchess of Sussex first shared the happy news with their immediate family at Princess Eugenie’s wedding, another highly celebrated recent royal event.
Of course, devoted royal fans around the world are over the moon about the announcement and will now be closely following the couple’s tour with an especially keen interest.
First signs of a bump! Pregnant Meghan Markle gives a glimpse of her baby bump just a day after revealing she and Harry are expecting their first child pic.twitter.com/6KizG1K7cN
— Lilian Chan (@bestgug) October 16, 2018
The Look of Love Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry brave the rain at Victoria Park #Dubbo #RoyalVisitAustralia pic.twitter.com/tFXZDNCHO8
— Rookie (@royalfocus1) October 17, 2018
ADORABLE MOMENT: 5-year-old Luke couldn’t get enough of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during a stop on their tour of Australia. The boy kept giving the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hugs and really liked Harry’s beard! Take a look. pic.twitter.com/yUvwMRYEvz
— WMBD News (@WMBDNews) October 18, 2018
In just over 2 years Harry and Meghan have met, fallen in love, moved her entire life to London, had a royal wedding, and got pregnant.
I still haven't rehung the towel rail that fell off the wall in 2014.
— Laura (@fairycakes) October 15, 2018
After arriving in Melbourne, Harry and Meghan were welcomed by Daniel Andrew, the Labor premiere of Victoria. “There’s some activities at Government House including an opportunity for the royal couple to meet lots of Victorians who I’m sure will be queued up to say ‘hello’ and to say ‘congratulations’ on the pregnancy, and then there’s a pretty full program of events,” he said.
According to the UK Press Association, Harry and Meghan were asked about baby names by twelve-year-old Charlie Wolf while riding on the Melbourne tram. ‘We’ve been given a long list of names from everyone,” replied Meghan. “We’re going to sit down and have a look at them.”
The couple then set off to the beach to learn about OneWave, a mental health support group that surf together. Harry has been open about his own experience with mental health challenges and has committed to help end the stigma with “Heads Together”, a foundation he created with William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Harry told the group that every person will experience poor mental health at one point in their lives. “It took me not six months, but 18 months to find the right person to speak to,” he shared. “You’re not going to find the right person to speak to straight away.”
Charlotte Connell, a member of OneWave who is also pregnant, was impressed with Meghan handling both jet lag and early pregnancy by getting up at 4:30 in the morning to participate in a yoga class. “She said it’s so good for healing her mind,” said Connell. “For her to be jet lagged and pregnant must be pretty exhausting.”
After a busy few days, Meghan took time to rest while Harry showed his support at the Invictus Games on Saturday. Kensington Palace also made an announcement stating that “the duke and duchess have decided to cut back on the duchess’s schedule slightly for the next couple of days, ahead of the final week and a half of tour.” Harry travelled to the next stop on Fraser Island to promote the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy Project, an initiative that will help protect the Island’s two-hundred thousand acres of rainforest. Meghan was able to surprise the awaiting crowd and reunite with Harry later on for the rest of the day’s engagements.
"It’s your privilege to watch in the stands or with your friends & families around the television. It’s your responsibility to make sure your children know how amazing these guys and girls really are…"
The Duke of Sussex, to all Australians #GameOnDownUnder @WeAreInvictus pic.twitter.com/RZGktsSiYW— InvictusSydney (@InvictusSydney) October 20, 2018
“It is up to us now to protect this paradise together — not just because it looks beautiful, but because it is an essential part of our existence and will continue to be for our children and their children’s children.” — The Duke of Sussex @QueensCanopy #RoyalVisitAustralia pic.twitter.com/cWFUkdBLOe
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 22, 2018
So many gifts for their baby 🥰#HarryandMeghan #RoyalVisitAustralia pic.twitter.com/7zcQvcLb18
— Alice (@_alicestew) October 22, 2018
Harry and Meghan will leave for Fiji and Tonga next before returning to Sydney for the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games on October 27.
– Tessa Giftopoulos