Meghan Markle and Prince Harry ‘planning home birth for baby girl’

Meghan Markle is planning to give birth to her second child with Prince Harry in the comfort of her own mansion in America, an insider has claimed.

The Duchess of Sussex, 39, is due to welcome her second child with the Duke of Sussex, 36, in the summer, and it is thought she hopes to have a home birth at their stunning $14.7m Santa Barbara property in Montecito, California.

Speaking about Meghan’s home birthing plans, a source told Page Six: ‘She has a beautiful home in California, it’s a beautiful setting to give birth to her baby girl.’

If born in America, Meghan and Prince Harry’s baby will be entitled to US citizenship as an automatic right, and will have dual UK citizenship through her father. She will also be able to run for US presidency if born on US soil. 

The Duchess of Sussex, 39, (pictured with Archie and Prince Harry) is reportedly planning a home birth for her baby 

The Duchess of Sussex, 39, is due to welcome her second child with the Duke of Sussex, 36, in the summer, and it is thought she hopes to have a home birth at their stunning $14.7m Santa Barbara property in Montecito, California (pictured)

The Duchess of Sussex, 39, is due to welcome her second child with the Duke of Sussex, 36, in the summer, and it is thought she hopes to have a home birth at their stunning $14.7m Santa Barbara property in Montecito, California (pictured)

The source also said that Meghan initially planned to have a home birth for Archie, now 22 months old, but was unable to do so as her son was a week overdue.

Instead of welcoming her child with an all-female midwife team at Frogmore Cottage, the mother was taken to London’s private Portland hospital, where she gave birth to Archie on May 6, 2019.

The source explained: ‘Meghan’s plan was to have a home birth with Archie, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans.’

Does a child born in America get automatic US citizenship? 

Any child born in the US gets automatic US citizenship under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

This states: ‘All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.’

The only exception applies to the ‘jurisdiction’ element, which means children born to diplomats and other recognised government officials from foreign countries don’t get US citizenship if born on American soil.

Anyone born in the US gets citizenship for their life unless they make an action to give it up such as filing an oath.

If born in the US, Meghan and Prince Harry’s baby will be entitled to US citizenship as an automatic right. She will also be able to run for US presidency if born on US soil.

The baby will also be entitled to a British passport through Harry. 

MailOnline has contacted the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s representatives for comment. 

The couple revealed during their bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview earlier this month that their second child is a girl and is due to be born this summer.

Prince Harry joined his wife for the second half of the much-anticipated interview on CBS to reveal the news, excitedly telling the chat show host: ‘It’s a girl.’ 

He said his first thought was ‘amazing’ when he learned they were having a girl, adding: ‘Just grateful. To have any child, any one or any two, would have been amazing. 

‘But to have a boy and then a girl, I mean what more can you ask for? Now we’ve got our family, we got the four of us and our two dogs.’ 

While the couple made no hint of what their daughter’s name would be, fans are already speculating that they will call her Diana, after Harry’s late mother.  

Asked if they were ‘done’ with two children, Harry said ‘done’ and Meghan said: ‘Two is it.’

The girl will not be entitled, at this stage, to be an HRH nor a princess title due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V – but this is the same as what would have happened before they stepped back from senior duties.

The baby is entitled to be a Lady, but Harry and Meghan will again opt to style their second-born a plain Miss, with the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. 

Harry and Meghan first announced on Valentine’s Day that they are expecting a second child, saying they were ‘overjoyed’ at their pregnancy. 

Their news echoed Princess Diana’s announcement of her own second child – Prince Harry – which was printed in newspapers on Valentine’s Day in 1984. 

A spokesman for the couple said at the time: ‘We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.’ 

The married couple revealed during their bombshell Oprah interview (pictured) that their second child is a girl and is due to be born this summer

The married couple revealed during their bombshell Oprah interview (pictured) that their second child is a girl and is due to be born this summer

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released this picture on Valentine's Day announced that they are expecting a second child, saying they were 'overjoyed' at their pregnancy

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released this picture on Valentine’s Day announced that they are expecting a second child, saying they were ‘overjoyed’ at their pregnancy

The announcement came soon after Meghan suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage last year.

Bookies have already started taking odds on what the name of Archie sibling would be, with Diana coming in first position as well, before Alexandra and Florence, Arabella and Elizabeth. 

Bookmakers Ladbrokes had said at the time that the chances of Harry and Meghan naming their girl Diana were four to one.

The new Sussex baby will become eighth in line to the throne, after Prince Charles, Prince William, William’s three children George, Charlotte and Louis, Prince Harry and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

Prince Harry retained his place in the line of succession despite his decision to quit royal life.

Prince Harry, Meghan and Archie left Britain for Canada in November 2019 before moving to America, meaning Archie has not seen any of his British relatives since he was six months old.