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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle expecting second child
LONDON, Feb 15, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan
Markle are expecting their second child, a spokesman said in a Valentine’s
Day announcement.
The couple released a black-and-white image of them under a tree, all
smiles, with Markle, 39, showing signs of pregnancy.
“We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother,” the spokesman
said, referring to the couple’s son. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are
overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”
The announcement came 37 years to the day newspapers in Britain carried the
news Prince Charles and Princess Diana were expecting Harry, their second
child.
Meghan and Harry, 36, who is Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson, quit frontline
royal duties in March last year and now live in California.
The news follows Markle’s disclosure in The New York Times in November that
she had suffered a miscarriage in July.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince
of Wales and the entire family are delighted and wish them well.”
Misan Harriman, a friend of the couple who took the photograph they
released, wrote on Twitter: “Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this
love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow.”
The couple’s departure last year — dubbed “Megxit” by the British press —
was a far cry from 2018, when they married in a ceremony at Windsor Castle
watched around the world.
The mood soured as reports circulated about a rift between Harry and his
brother Prince William, second in line to the throne.
Since leaving, they have launched several legal cases against news outlets
alleging invasion of privacy — including one that ended on Thursday with a
victory against Associated Newspapers in Britain.
The cases have attracted criticism from some, as the couple are also
launching themselves into the public eye with high-profile commercial
projects.
– Multi-million dollar contracts –
Last year, they launched a non-profit organisation, Archewell, after giving
up a “Sussex Royal” brand as part of the terms of their departure from
frontline royal duties.
They have started other ventures, including signing a deal with Spotify to
produce podcasts that tell “uplifting and entertaining stories”.
The couple also signed a contract, reportedly worth tens of millions of
dollars, with streaming giant Netflix to produce “impactful” films and
series.
As well complaining about invasion of her privacy, Meghan, a former
television actor, has also described past trolling of her as “almost
unsurvivable”.
In 2016, Harry issued an unprecedented statement denouncing “the racial
undertones of comment pieces” and “the sexism and racism of social media
trolls”.
Pressure from tabloids has dogged Harry throughout his life, and he blames
them for the death of his mother Princess Diana.
Harry and Meghan’s latest announcement came days after Princess Eugenie, a
granddaughter of the queen, gave birth to a baby boy.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0846 hrs