Meghan Markle Pregnancy: Duchess Plans Home Birth For Second Baby With Prince Harry Amid Pandemic

Meghan Markle wants to give birth to her second baby with her husband Prince Harry in their Montecito mansion amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royal sources exclusively told Page Six Tuesday that the Duchess of Sussex is already planning a home birth for her daughter, who is expected to arrive sometime in the summer. She had the same plan for her first child, Archie, before, but things changed at the last minute.

“Meghan’s plan was to have a home birth with Archie, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans. In the end, her doctors advised her to go to hospital and all she was interested in was about delivering Archie safely,” one royal source was quoted as saying by the media outlet.

Prior to Archie’s arrival, Markle planned to give birth to him at Frogmore Cottage in the U.K. with the help of an all-female midwife team. But when her son was due, she was rushed to a private hospital in London and delivered Archie in the early hours of May 6, 2019.

Aside from her preference in giving birth at home, the duchess’ plan of delivering her daughter at their Montecito estate is quite practical considering the ongoing pandemic. As hospitals cater to more COVID patients, expecting moms feel the need to give birth at home for their kids’ safety.

Experts revealed that more and more pregnant women consider home birth because it appears to be the best option available given the global health crisis at present, according to the Guardian.

For Markle, a home birth would be ideal since their California mansion is “a beautiful setting to give birth to her baby girl,” added the royal source.

Markle and Prince Harry purchased their luxurious home for $14.5 million after leaving their royal roles in the U.K. and moving to California last year. This would mean that the couple’s daughter would be the first royal baby to be born in the U.S.

The royal couple announced the duchess’ second pregnancy during their sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey that was aired earlier this month. Markle disclosed that she was due in the summer, but did not give a specific date.