Becoming parents to baby Archie has undoubtedly been the highlight of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s lives, as they dote on every move their 15-month-old son makes. And despite experiencing a lot of personal and professional upheaval since his arrival, friends say they want to expand their family imminently and would love a little girl this time around.
“It’s thought Meghan wants to have her second child sooner rather than later,” heat’s insider confirms. “She’ll be keen for Archie to have a sibling who’s as close to his own age as possible. In an ideal world, having a girl would be her dream come true, but if she has a boy, she’ll still be delighted, of course.
“The main thing for her and Harry is that their children are healthy, and thankfully, they’ve been very blessed with Archie in that department. Meghan takes such great care of herself and is meticulous about her diet and exercise, so they have every confidence the second pregnancy will go smoothly and result in another healthy baby.”
When Meghan – who turns 39 on 4 August – was pregnant with Archie, Harry admitted they were hoping for a girl, but was thrilled when she gave birth to their son in May 2019. And we’re told he has really relished being a dad and would now love a daughter. “Harry seems really keen for a girl this time around,” says our insider. “Friends say he loves the idea of raising a ‘mini-Meg’, and it would be so fitting if they could complete their family with a little sister for Archie.”
The source continues, “There’s no pressure or false expectations, though. They’re happy to be guided by fate and if they’re lucky enough to have another baby, it will be such a huge blessing – whether they have a boy or a girl. But it seems a girl is the preference for both of them.”
Having another baby will be a real boost for the couple, who have faced intense scrutiny ever since they quit the royal family at the start of the year. They have been criticised for leaving the UK in favour of a more Hollywood lifestyle in LA, where they are currently residing at their friend Tyler Perry’s $18million mansion while they look for their own home. They had reportedly planned to take America by storm, but due to the pandemic, they have been forced to spend most of their time at home – appearing only briefly for charity Zoom calls – and we’re told they’re frustrated at not being able to make the most of the potential business opportunities.
Check out: the celebs expecting babies in 2020
Celebrities expecting babies 2022 - radio stacked
1 of 26Gogglebox's Georgia Bell
Gogglebox star Georgia has announced she's expecting her first child with boyfriend Josh. Taking to Instagram to bring in 2022, Georgia, 21, posted an adorable snap of a framed baby scan that read: 'Baby Newby Due July 2022.'
2 of 26Nicolas Cage and Riko Shibata
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage and his fifth wife Riko Shibata announced in January 2022 that they are expecting their first child together. The pair met in 2020 and got married in 2021.
3 of 26Katie Salmon
Love Island 2016 star Katie Salmon announced she was pregnant with her first child with fiancé Harry in January, telling fans that she was already six months pregnant and has been keeping her lovely news a secret.
4 of 26Lauren Goodger
After welcoming her daughter Larose in July 2021, reality star Lauren Goodger announced in January 2022 that she's pregnant with her second child! Although admitting the pregnancy was a shock, Lauren revealed herself and boyfriend Charles are very excited!
5 of 26Shay Mitchell
Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell announced she's expecting her second child with her boyfriend Matte Babel, just weeks after announcing the sad death of her grandmother.
6 of 26Lottie Tomlinson and Lewis Burton
Louis Tomlinson's younger sister Lottie announced she's expecting her first child with her boyfriend Lewis Burton in February.
7 of 26Alexandra Burke and Darren Randolph
Former X Factor winner Alexandra Burke announced she's expecting her first child with her footballer boyfriend Darren Randolph. The pair confirmed their baby is due in June 2022.
8 of 26Chloe Madeley and James Haskell
Chloe Madeley announced she's expecting a baby girl with her husband James Haskell in February!
9 of 26Nicola Adams and Ella Baig
Professional boxer Nicola Adams and her girlfriend Ella Baig are expecting their first child together after going through the process of IVF. The couple announced their lovely news in February, revealing in April that they are expecting a baby boy!
10 of 26Michael Bublé and Luisana Lopilato
Michael Bublé confirmed his wife Luisana Lopilato is pregnant in an Instagram post following the 'reveal' in a music video where fans could see her baby bump. Despite revealing the baby bump some fans thought it might just be for the video, so he confirmed it in a post saying: 'Ooops! We did it again ud83eudd2d… bebit@ en camino ud83dudc9b✨ud83eudd30ud83cudffc❤ufe0f' (sic)The second part of the caption translate as 'baby on the way'.
11 of 26Michael Sheen and Anna Lundberg
Welsh actor Michael Sheen announced in early March that his girlfriend Anna Lundberg was pregnant with the couple's second child.
12 of 26Jess Shears and Dom Lever
Love Island series 3 stars Jess Shears and Dom Lever announced in March they are expecting their second child together, another baby boy!
13 of 26Ray Quinn and Emily Ashleigh
Former X Factor and Hollyoaks star Ray Quinn announced in March his fiancée Emily Ashleigh is pregnant with the couple's first child.
14 of 26Joe and Rosie Wicks
The Body Coach Joe Wicks MBE and his wife Rosie announced in March they are expecting their third child together, posting this cute snap on Instagram!
15 of 26Leona Lewis and Dennis Jauch
Former X Factor winner Leona Lewis announced in March she's expecting her first child with her husband Dennis Jauch.
16 of 26Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas
After months of rumours, Sophie Turner confirmed she's expecting her second child with Joe Jonas when she debuted her bump at The Oscars Vanity Fair party at the end of March.
17 of 26Charlotte Crosby
Reality star Charlotte Crosby announced in April she's expecting her first child with her boyfriend Jake Ankers. In the post on Instagram, Charlotte filmed herself telling the happy news to her family.
18 of 26Tayah Victoria and Adam Aveling
Married At First Sight UK couple Tayah Victoria and Adam Aveling announced they are expecting their first child together, just weeks after celebrating one-year since meeting on the show. The pair have since announced they are expecting a baby girl.
19 of 26Tuppence Middleton
Downton Abbey star Tuppence Middleton, who plays Lucy Branson in the franchise, announced she's expecting her first child, showing off her blossoming bump at the Downton Abbey: A New Era premiere on Monday 25th April.
20 of 26Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne announced in May that she's expecting her first child with her boyfriend, Slipknot star Sid Wilson, sharing the lovely news on social media.
21 of 26Christina Perri
Singer Christina Perri and her husband Paul Costabile shared the lovely news that they are expecting another baby. Christina posted an adorable video of their daughter Carmella opening a box to reveal the sonogram and her caption revealed that the couple are expecting a baby girl!
22 of 26Maeva D'Ascanio and James Taylor
Made In Chelsea couple Maeva and James announced at the end of May that they are expecting their first child together, with a due date of November.
23 of 26Heidi and Spencer Pratt
Reality TV stars Heidi and Spencer Pratt announced in June they are expecting their second child together! The couple, who appeared on The Hills, dubbed the news a 'miracle baby'.
24 of 26Jorgie Porter and Ollie Piotrowski
Months after miscarrying quadruplets, Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter and her fiancé Ollie Piotrowski announced in June the lovely news they were pregnant again.
25 of 26Tanya Burr
YouTube star Tanya Burr announced in June that she was pregnant with her first child, with her mystery boyfriend. Sharing an image of them cradling her blossoming baby bump, Tanya wrote: 'We love you so much already little ud83eudd5c'.
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26 of 26Billie Faiers and Greg Shepherd
Reality TV star Billie Faiers and her husband Greg Shepherd announced in June they were expecting their third child together. The couple are already parents to daughter Nelly and son Arthur.
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The source adds that Meghan, in particular, seems to be struggling as the actress had big plans to revive her career, as well as doing her humanitarian work. On top of that there is the couple’s ongoing lawsuit against a tabloid newspaper, Meghan’s estrangement from her dad, and her recent falling out with her best friend Jessica Mulroney.
“Meghan never imagined living a life under so much scrutiny with every move analysed, as if she’s a controversial politician,” we’re told. “Being unable to socialise has made her even more tense, and the people around her – including Harry – have been working hard to bring back the happy and positive Meghan they all know and love. The situation with Jessica has hit her really hard, because she was the main person who Meghan confided in when she was going through a low period. She feels a lot of people are against her.”
But, the insider adds, being with Harry, 35, and Archie during the past few months and spending quality time as a family has made Meghan realise what her priorities are and, while the move to America has got off to a slow start, she’s glad they’re in LA.
When she gave birth to Archie, she had him at the exclusive Portland Hospital in London after her plans for a home birth were dashed, and we’re told it’s likely she would have her next baby at LA’s Cedars-Sinai, the choice of all Hollywood A-listers. “She can’t wait to have a baby in America, after enduring a stressful first pregnancy, when she was trying to fit in with royal guidelines while really wanting to do things her way,” says the source.
“Lockdown has been a perfect time for Meghan and Harry to take stock of their priorities, and while they have a lot of projects on the go, they’ve decided family is the most important thing to focus on right now. Friends think it’s just a matter of when they share the news that a second child is on the way. Nobody would be surprised if she’s expecting already, but that’s something they’re keeping private for now – and their friends and family are respecting that, rather than pressuring them for exact timings.”
The source continues, “She’s looking forward to having the baby in LA and not having to follow royal protocol, and she’ll hopefully get less scrutiny, too. She thinks it will be much more enjoyable this time.”
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