Indeed, it was Valentine’s Day when Princess Diana revealed that she and Charles were expecting their second child, a brother for two-year-old Prince William.
“Had she been alive, she would have been delighted at the baby news,” Diana’s biographer Andrew Morton tells Royals Monthly.
And now, royal insiders expect the tributes to Diana could continue, with Harry and Meghan set to name their baby after the much-loved princess if it’s a girl.
“Harry has been beaten to his mother’s name by William and Catherine, who gave Princess Charlotte the middle name Diana, along with Elizabeth,” says Andrew.
“They will choose something original for their daughter’s name, but expect to see Frances, Diana’s middle name, in the running.”
Andrew also says that Meghan will surely want to give a nod to her mother Doria Ragland, with whom she’s incredibly close, while if it’s another boy the pair will most likely pay tribute to Prince Philip, who celebrates his 100th birthday in June.
The couple gave Archie the surname Mountbatten-Windsor after Philip’s family name.
“If it’s a boy, expect to see Philip, Harry’s grandfather [honoured], with whom he has a special bond,” the royal author adds.
Meghan and Harry told the world their exciting news alongside a photo of the couple looking happy and relaxed as Meghan rested her head on an adoring Harry’s lap while cradling her burgeoning baby bump.
The duchess – who suffered a devastating miscarriage last year – appeared much further along in her pregnancy this time than she did when announcing she was pregnant with Archie in 2018.
It’s even thought that she may be as far along in the pregnancy as five months, with the baby possibly due as early as late June.
“After the heartbreak of losing a baby… Meghan and Harry were thrilled to be able to announce that Meghan is expecting,” Andrew says.
In November, Meghan wrote about the desperate grief she and Harry felt after her miscarriage.
“I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child that I was losing my second,” she revealed in the searing account.
“Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband’s hand.”
I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissing his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal.”
Meanwhile, it is understood the Queen was told the news before the Sussexes went public.
A statement from the palace read: “Her Majesty, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and the entire royal family are delighted and wish them well.”
At the time of print, Charles, Camilla, William and Kate had all publicly failed to acknowledge the news.
Harry and Meghan swapped the constraints of royal life for the laidback Californian lifestyle last year, so it’s no surprise Andrew also suspects the new baby Sussex will count his parents’ celebrity pals among his godparents.
“Expect Oprah, their neighbour, friend and interviewer, to lead the parade,” he says.
Indeed, Oprah has been a strong supporter of the couple since they moved stateside. “I support them 1000 per cent,” she said last year of them quitting The Firm.
Meghan and Harry recently recorded a sit-down interview with the TV icon which will air on March 7 in the US and which has been billed as an “intimate conversation” about their family life, future and the pressure of life in the spotlight.
Despite their decision to step down as senior royals, Andrew says another bona-fide blue-blood baby in their midst will excite the neighbours.
“Even though the royal couple have decided against accepting a title for their offspring, proximity to the royal infants will definitely cause a stir among the yummy mummies in Montecito, the upmarket neighbourhood of Santa Barbara which the couple have made their base,” Andrew predicts.
“Expect to see bumper waiting lists to join Archie’s kindergarten in the community.”
“The royal youngsters will enjoy a much more laidback upbringing than previous generations of royals. Forget the shooting – Meghan opposes that sport – and expect to see them bodyboarding and surfing on Butterfly Beach near their palatial home.”
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