Meghan Markle Can Thank Princess Diana For Changing Royal Baby Protocols

Princess Diana’s legacy continues to resonate among the royal family. She pulled the monarchy — forcibly, at times — into the modern era by breaking with royal protocol when it no longer made sense.

She also changed how royal pregnancies and royal babies are treated, and it’s already made a difference in today’s current crop of young royals. Princess Diana broke royal protocol several times when it came to bringing a royal baby into the world, and because of her there’s lots of stuff that Meghan Markle will never have to do.

Prince William was the first heir to the British throne to be born in a hospital. That’s because Diana broke royal protocol by refusing to give birth at home, as the royals before her did. Queen Elizabeth II gave birth to Princes Charles, Andrew, and Edward at Buckingham Palace, according to the Cheat Sheet.

All three of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s children were born in the same hospital wing where Diana brought William and Harry into the world.

Diana was also the first royal to allow her husband into the delivery room, making Prince Charles the first father of the child to be present at a British royal birth. Prince Philip was playing squash when Prince Charles was born in 1948.

Meghan Markle won’t have to observe the old rules of protocol when she gives birth in spring 2019, either. Because of Diana, Prince Harry will be allowed into the delivery room, and their little addition will be born in a hospital and not a palace.

Diana continued to re-shape royal protocol after her first baby was born, according to Harper’s Bazaar. She broke with tradition to take newborn Prince William with her on a royal tour. This was the first time royal parents didn’t separate for the tour, and it was somewhat controversial. The people who came out to see Diana on tour, however, absolutely loved it.

Another very important royal tradition that Diana broke was disposable diapers. Before Diana, they weren’t used for royal baby bottoms. Kate Middleton has used disposables for all her children, and Meghan Markle is likely to do the same.

There are some protocols that Meghan Markle will follow, according to Express. The long-standing tradition for naming royal babies will stand, for example.

The name of Meghan and Harry’s baby won’t be revealed for two or three days after the new royal is born. The name is first shared with other members of the royal family before it is announced to the world.

It’s a big responsibility to name a royal baby, and Harry and Meghan are likely to follow other traditions as well. Through Meghan has a Hollywood background, don’t expect her to name her newborn after a piece of fruit. Royals often choose names of previous royals and family members, and it’s likely that Meghan and Harry will do the same.