Monday, May 6, 2019 ~ UK.
~ West Shore Voice News
The world is now informed that the new British royal baby is a boy.
The birth of a son to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry — the Duchess and Duke of Sussex — took place at 5:26 am BST on Monday morning May 6 in Britain (9:26 pm PDT, May 5).
The baby weighed 7 lb 3 oz at birth. The birth was announced shortly after it was publicly announced about the duchess going into labour.
Breaking with royal tradition, the announcement was made by the baby’s father himself who chose a riding stable as the backdrop when meeting with the media this morning. By comparison, other royal babies — including the three children to Prince William and Kate, and both William and Harry themselves — were announced to the world first by the equivalent of a ‘town crier’ (formal posting) and then seen for a public photo op in the company of both parents within a day or two of the birth.
Here in BC, top name bets (in a BC Lottery Corporation online sports betting pool) for a boy had been Arthur, Charles and James. There is also the consideration of Philip as a first name for the child, after Harry’s grandfather Prince Philip who is husband to Queen Elizabeth II.
In a brief media appearance this morning, with video posted online, Prince Harry was clearly beaming and overjoyed. He called the birth “the most amazing experience”, adding: “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension”.
The couple is “still thinking about names”. And as the baby was “a bit overdue” (as the Prince put it), he said they’ve had time to ponder names a bit more.
“I’m so proud of my wife,” said Harry. And about the baby: “This little thing is absolutely to die for, so I’m just over the moon.”
Who the godparents will be is a hot news item.
The new baby boy is seventh in line to the throne after Prince Charles, Prince William, the three children of Prince William and Kate (Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis), and the baby’s father Prince Harry.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby will not be a prince nor a princess unless the Queen makes a special declaration for that.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have said they would like to raise the baby with as normal a life as possible, in a sense dismissing the trappings of royalty to the degree that they can.
The child has dual citizenship, as Megan Markle is still a US citizen and does not yet have her British citizenship approved.
Harry and Meghan were married less than a year ago, on May 19, 2018. Even from the wedding day where Meghan chose a demure wedding dress that did not put her in a flashy spot ahead of her new husband — and now not sharing the initial limelight of the birth announcement, this new royal mother has put her royal spouse’s emotional concerns ahead of her own. She will get plenty of sparkle in the world’s eye as time unfolds.
There are plenty of spring birthdays in the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II’s 93rd birthday was on April 21 (also celebrated publicly in June when the weather is usually better), while cousins Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte celebrated their birthdays on April 23 and May 2 respectively. Prince George, who is third in line to the throne and his father Prince William who is second in line to the throne, have summer birthdays — little George will turn six on July 22 this year, and Prince William — eldest son of the late Princess Diana — turns 37 on June 21, 2019.
The direct heir to the British throne is Prince Charles, who turns 71 on November 14 this year.
The Queen is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British Monarch. She is 93 years old.