Meghan Markle wants to give home birth to daughter after failing to deliver son Archie at Frogmore Cottage
After failing in her desire to have a home birth for her son Archie, Meghan Markle now wants to deliver her daughter at their sprawling Montecito estate next summer. Sources told Page Six that the Duchess of Sussex originally planned on having a home birth at Frogmore Cottage when she was pregnant with her first child in the United Kingdom. The plan was to be surrounded by an all-female midwife team when she was giving birth to her son. However, the original plan was tossed out when Meghan was rushed to London’s private Portland hospital when Archie was a week overdue. She ultimately ended up giving birth to Archie in the early hours on May 6, 2019, with her husband by her side.
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“Meghan’s plan was to have a home birth with Archie, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans,” the source said. “In the end, her doctors advised her to go to hospital and all she was interested in was about delivering Archie safely." The source added, “But she has a beautiful home in California, it’s a beautiful setting to give birth to her baby girl.”
The couple revealed the gender of their second baby in their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview earlier this month as Meghan was seen protectively cradling her growing belly on camera. She said she was due in the summer, but did not give the exact timing. Harry also added at the time that after the second kid, the couple will probably be done having children. “A girl, you know, what more can you ask for? But now, you know, now we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great," he said.
Meghan and Harry are currently settled in a $14.5 million Montecito estate after they changed homes multiple times in the last year following the historic decision to quit the monarchy. Although Meghan wishes to be able to successfully have a home birth this time around, the couple will still have easy access to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, voted one of the best hospitals in America, which is quite close to their house.
Sources also noted that Meghan is planning to take maternity leave after her second child is born -- the same way she did after Archie was born. However, Those close to the duchess know that even when she is on leave, she likes taking up some project or the other. During her last maternity leave, Meghan managed to guest edit the British Vogue “Changemakers” edition and finalize the capsule wardrobe for the Smart Works charity, of which she was patron. “She doesn’t stop,” said one source.
Also, since there is no protocol to follow, it remains up to the discretion of the formerly royal couple to introduce their daughter to the world when they are ready. A royal insider said: “It’s unclear, now that Meghan and Harry are private citizens if they will announce the birth, or what that will look like. This time around, they don’t have to adhere to the royal protocol.”
For Archie, they had agreed to a photocall on the grounds of Windsor Castle to present their firstborn to the world. The Queen also wanted to officially announce Archie’s arrival with a note displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace as a mark of her affection.