Meghan Markle maternity leave: How long will the Duchess of Sussex be away for? When does Prince Harry’s wife’s maternity leave start? Everything you need to know
18 February 2019, 11:27
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is due to give birth to her first baby this April, but when will her maternity leave begin?
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced last year they were pregnant with their first baby, only months after they wed at Windsor Castle.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have since hinted that the former Suits actress’ due date is some time in April.
Like most mothers, Meghan is expected to take maternity leave in order to prepare for the baby, and then following the birth in order to settle into motherhood.
But how long will Meghan Markle take away from royal duties? When will we next see the Duchess of Sussex and when does her time off start? Here’s everything we know:
When does Meghan Markle’s maternity leave start?
READ MORE: Read Meghan Markle's emotional letter to dad Thomas Markle
READ MORE: Here's what will happen if Meghan Markle has twins
Just like Kate Middleton, the official date of Meghan’s maternity leave it unknown.
However, if Meghan is to take after Kate, her last royal engagement will be around a month before she is due to give birth.
As far as the royal calendar looks, Meghan’s last confirmed royal event is a three day trip to Morocco with Prince Harry from February 23 to February 25.
There is a chance this will be the last event before Meghan leaves to give birth as there are no more dates booked on the royal website for the Duchess.
As well, Harry and Meghan will be moving into their new home, Frogmore Cottage, in the next coming weeks which will be a priority for the couple.
How long will Meghan Markle take off?
How long Meghan Markle takes away from the public is all down to the Duchess.
Kate Middleton’s time off varied between her pregnancies.
When she welcomed her first baby, Prince George, the Duchess of Cambridge only took two months off.
With Princess Charlotte, Prince William’s wife took a much longer break of six months, and with Prince Louis is was seven months until Kate returned to royal duties.
When is Meghan Markle due?
When Meghan and Harry announced their pregnancy, they revealed the baby would be welcomed in Spring 2019.
However, Meghan gave fans more of an idea of her due date earlier this year when she announced she was six months pregnant in January.
This led many people to believe the Duchess will be giving birth in April 2019.
READ MORE: George Clooney compares Meghan Markle to Princess Diana
READ MORE: Meghan Markle takes fashion tips from Kate Middleton
