When is Meghan Markle's baby due and will they be an American citizen?

Royal fans are eager to know the due date and citizenship of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's second baby

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 25: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex tend to their baby son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at a meeting with Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Toby Melville - Pool/Getty Imagess)

Meghan and Harry’s pregnancy announcement has raised several burning questions, including the due date and their second baby's citizenship status. 

While the couple’s son Archie was born in Britain, his younger sibling will most likely be born in the United States. These unusual circumstances now have fans wondering - will Meghan and Harry’s child be an American royal? 

It seems the answer isn’t so straightforward. With a Californian mother and a British father, the new baby will be eligible to apply for dual citizenship for both the US and the UK. This means that even Archie, who was born in London in 2019, can call himself either a Brit or an American. 

As for the newborn's due date, the couple has yet to announce their second baby's predicted birthday. 

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While their kids will have two passports, Meghan and Harry won’t be able to share this privilege. Meghan, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, missed out on her ability to claim British citizenship last month. Spouses of UK natives are eligible to apply for citizenship if they remain in the country for at least three full years. 

The requirements also ban the applicant from spending more than 270 days out of the country during this three-year period. Having failed to meet those conditions after making a permanent move to the US, Meghan is no longer eligible to apply. 

Although it was rumored that Meghan hoped to secure British citizenship after marrying Harry in 2018, the Duchess seems to have given up on the idea. If she wishes to apply in the future, she would have to commit to three full years living in the UK - a decision that looks unlikely at present. Having recently bought a $14m mansion in California, the couple doesn’t seem to have any desire to return to Britain for good any time soon. 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.