Everything We Know About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Baby, from Due Date to Godparents

When Kensington Palace released a statement announcing the Duchess of Sussex’s pregnancy in October, they simply said Meghan “is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019.” The royal mom-to-be got more specific during a January visit to the town of Birkenhead, telling royal fans that she was six months along in her pregnancy. Meghan told others gathered in Hamilton Square that she’s due in late April.

From the moment of birth, Prince Harry and Meghan’s baby will be bumping some royals down in the line of succession.

Harry is currently sixth in line to the British throne — behind his older brother Prince William‘s three young children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Harry’s son or daughter will be just behind their father in the seventh position. And any future children Harry and Meghan may have will follow their older sibling.

This means that Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth’s second son who is currently seventh in line, will be bumped to the eighth spot. His two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will also move down a spot along with the rest of the heirs.

Meghan and Harry have left their home at Kensington Palace in London, Nottingham Cottage, for Windsor Castle’s Frogmore Cottage. The timing gives the parents-to-be a few weeks to settle in – and prepare the royal nursery! – before they welcome their first child.

The couple have lived in Nottingham Cottage since their engagement — but the two-bedroom home was never intended to be a long-term residence, especially once they had children.

After Serena Williams made an on-camera slip, online gambling company Ladbrokes slashed the odds of Meghan giving birth to a girl from 8/13 to 4/7.

However, even the royal parents-to-be say they’re in the dark on the subject (although Harry has already admitted he hopes it’s a girl!). In January, Meghan responded to a young fan who asked whether she was having a boy or a girl.

Kitty Dudley, 9, said, “Meghan came up to me and asked me how old I was and where I went to school. I could see her bump and I asked if she was having a boy or a girl and she said, ‘We don’t know whether it’s a boy or girl, we are keeping it as a surprise.’ “

In a 2015 interview with Hello! magazine, Meghan confessed to splurging on a Cartier watch to celebrate the success of her show Suits.

“I’ve always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch,” she explained. “When I found out Suits had been picked up for our third season – which, at the time, felt like such a milestone – I totally splurged and bought the two-tone version.”

She even had a personalized message engraved on the jewelry piece – and kept a special intention for the watch in mind.

“I had it engraved on the back, ‘To M.M. From M.M.’ and I plan to give it to my daughter one day,” she said. “That’s what makes pieces special, the connection you have to them.”

Spring is a big time for royal birthdays — and there’s a chance that Meghan and Harry’s child will share a celebration!

There’s already a little member of the royal family born in late April: Prince Louis, who will celebrate his first birthday on April 23. The birthday of Meghan and Harry’s baby could also fall near that of his or her older cousin, Princess Charlotte. The 3-year-old daughter of Kate Middleton and Prince William was born on May 2.

Baby Sussex may also share a birthday with his or her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. The monarch will turn 93 on April 21.

In addition to the royal family, Meghan and Harry’s baby will be surrounded by love from the Duchess of Sussex’s tight group of friends. They already celebrated Meghan’s pregnancy with a baby shower in New York City, and guests included Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, Gayle King, Jessica Mulroney, Misha Nonoo and Abigail Spencer.

Meghan’s longtime friend and wedding makeup artist, Daniel Martin, told PEOPLE: “The next plan is all of us being there for both of them when the baby comes. That baby is going to be loved by all of us.”

Despite William and Harry being brothers, the future king and his wife likely won’t be selected as godparents for Baby Sussex. In British tradition, uncles and aunts already have a role in the child’s life, so godparents are usually friends of the parents or less direct relatives, so no hard feelings! In fact, Harry is not a godfather to Prince George, Princess Charlotte or Prince Louis.

Potential picks for godparents could include Meghan’s close pals Jessica Mulroney and Serena Williams, while Harry could name longtime friends Charlie Van Straubenzee or Tom Inskip for the special role.

Technically, the royal family’s last name is Mountbatten-Windsor, but it’s rare for the members of the family to use that surname in day-to-day life. Prince William and Prince Harry went by William Wales and Harry Wales during their own school days, as well as their years in the armed forces. Why? Because their father, Prince Charles, is the Prince of Wales. It’s an homage to their father’s title, for occasions when “Prince” just feels a bit too formal.

Similarly, Prince George is known as “George Cambridge” at school.

Since Harry and Meghan’s royal titles are the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, their child will likely use that as their last name in such occasions.

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