Meghan Markle broke 3 royal pregnancy rules – here are 9 traditions and protocols all British royal parents should follow, from skipping baby showers and travel to keeping the baby’s sex a secret
There’s so much mystery and curiosity around the British royal family that every little detail grabs the attention of the masses. From the time they led an empire on which the “sun never set” to today when they continue to represent Britain on the world stage, there is no denying the world’s curiosity for this most unfathomable family.
Not an easy cup of tea, we’d imagine.
To ease your curiosity, we’ve compiled a list of 9 royal baby traditions and protocols that are actually a thing.
6 royal baby names that broke British tradition: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caused a stir with ‘Lilibet Diana’ – but so did there royal mums
The queen gets to know about the pregnancy first
According to tradition, the queen is always the first to know about who’s joining the royal family by virtue of birth. While it’s not an overt rule, the queen is the family matriarch and gets to know first about a pregnancy or birth.
The royal family keep the baby’s sex a secret
While determining the sex of a child in advance is normal for parents in Britain, the royal family chooses to keep the gender a secret. Even if they know about the sex, it is not disclosed to the public.
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No baby showers
The baby shower is an American concept that is less popular in the UK. Not having baby showers is more of a cultural difference and nothing to do with being a royal, but that’s still the reason why the royal family doesn’t host them.
Although Markle again broke tradition here, attending one in New York in honour of their firstborn.
Limited travel during pregnancy
UK tabloids state that the royal family discourages pregnant women in the family from travelling during this period. However, it’s not completely barred.
Markle was once again the exception when she made multiple official royal visits to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Morocco while pregnant.
Royals usually announce pregnancies after 12 weeks
The royal family usually announces pregnancies to the public after the 12-week mark. The only time an exception was made in recent years was when Kate Middleton was pregnant with Prince Louis, and decided to make the announcement earlier because she was suffering from morning sickness.
The royal family announces pregnancy health issues
Speaking of which, the royal family is OK with making pregnancy-related health issues known to the public, and not just by verbal confirmation. The official royal website posted a detailed release explaining Kate’s health issues during pregnancy.
A royal specialist delivers royal babies
The royal palace has its own official gynaecologist who oversees the royal births. At present, Alan Farthing is the surgeon-gynaecologist to the royal household and has been overseeing royal births since Princess Charlotte was born in 2015.
Previously, Marcus Setchell was the official gynaecologist and postponed his retirement until 2013 to deliver Prince George.
There are midwives on call for royal pregnancies
A royal birthing plan comprises about 20 experts including obstetricians, anaesthetists, paediatricians, laboratory technicians and even midwives who are on call for three months.
The entire birthing team is sworn to secrecy
Not coming as a surprise, the entire birthing team need to remain extremely private about the process and cannot divulge any details to the press or the public.
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- Did Markle tell Queen Elizabeth about her pregnancy first? The duchess broke three other protocols, including revealing Lilibet Diana’s sex to Oprah Winfrey
- The royal family made an exception by announcing Kate Middleton’s pregnancy with Prince Louis earlier than the 12-week mark due to her morning sickness
