Why Meghan Markle’s Maternity Leave Will End Earlier Than Kate Middleton’s

Meghan Markle’s maternity leave will end much earlier compared to Kate Middleton’s three previous breaks from her royal duties.

On Sunday, it was announced on the Sussex Royal Instagram page that Prince Harry, Markle, and their son, Archie will be traveling to South Africa at the end of this month.

A countdown was uploaded on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram Story, and it reveals that their royal tour of South Africa will commence on Sept. 23. Prince Harry also penned the caption for the latest post on their social media account.

“In just a few weeks our family will be taking its first official tour to Africa, a region of the world that over the past two decades has been a second home to me. Our team has helped create a meaningful program that we're so excited to share with you. On a personal note, I can't wait to introduce my wife and son to South Africa! We'll see all of you very soon. - The Duke of Sussex,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, Markle just gave birth to her son, Archie, on May 6. Typically, female members of the royal family are given a 6-month maternity leave before they are expected to return to their royal engagements.

But by Sept. 23, Markle would’ve only been on maternity leave for almost five months. In the past, the Duchess of Cambridge got to enjoy a longer break from her royal duties after she gave birth to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Months ago, a source told Page Six that Markle wanted to get back to her royal duties as soon as possible.

“Meghan has made it very clear she wants to return to work as soon as possible. She has huge amounts of energy, is extremely determined and wants to be as hands-on as possible with her charities. Nothing has been written into her diary just yet, as she wants to wait and see how she feels after having the baby,” the source said.