Meghan Markle has chosen not to give birth in the same hospital that her sister-in-law Kate Middleton and her late mother-in-law Princess Diana used, breaking royal tradition once again by blazing her own path.
The Duchess of Sussex, 37, is believed to be considering the maternity unit at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey for the birth of her and Prince Harry’s first child, reported the Mirror .
This is in stark contrast to both Princess Diana and Middleton, who both gave birth at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, West London.
Diana delivered both Prince William and Prince Harry there, the first royal to give birth in a hospital. This made Prince William the first heir to the throne to not be born at home, as per royal tradition.
Throughout history, it became protocol for women to give birth without their partners in the room and surrounded by witnesses to the birth (so any stillborn heirs weren’t swapped).
Kate Middleton has used the same spot for the delivery of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis and Middleton’s sister Pippa also delivered her first child there.
“If their Royal Highnesses have moved to Frogmore Cottage before the birth, as planned, Frimley Park may be a more easily accessible option than St. Mary’s,” a royal source told Daily Mail .
Meghan and Harry, who wed in May last year, are already planning to move to Frogmore Castle, leaving their current home of Kensington Palace in West London.
Their new home, Frogmore, Berkshire, is 15 miles from Frimley Park.
St. Mary’s is 23 miles away from their current home and getting there would involve a journey through very busy central London.
The Mirror noted that Frimley Park is the same NHS hospital where Prince Edward’s wife Sophie had their kids. Her first child, Viscount Severn, was born there in 2003. It offers on-suite facilities in all labor rooms, more birth pools, antenatal facilities, and a transitional care unit for new babies who need a bit of extra support from mums.
They also offer the Juniper Birth Centre, a new midwife-led unit, which offers a home away from home environment for lower risk births.
The Sun’s royal correspondent Emily Andrews said, “I understand the queen, Prince Philip, Charles, and Camilla were delighted when the couple told them. Meghan’s mom Doria [Ragland] was also over the moon at the prospect of her first grandchild.”
By foregoing St. Mary’s Hospital, Markle will deprive herself of the lavish luxuries the posh hospital offers its royal residents.
They have extensive menus and can cater for any dietary requirement, and there’s also a wine list – with champagne – to accompany it. If you’re still hungry, there’s also an afternoon tea service, per the Sun .
Prices start at $7,479 (£5,900 per night) for a standard room, while a deluxe will set you back $7,951 (£6,275), per the Sun .
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s first child is expected in early spring.
