The wonderful news that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had welcomed their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana, was revealed on Sunday.
The pair stealthily disclosed their intention to take joint parental leave following Lili’s birth in a footnote to the announcement on the Archewell website.
“While the Duke and Duchess are on parental leave, Archewell will continue to do important work and publish stories on the site. We look forward to seeing you!”
It’s a luxury the pair didn’t get to experience with their son, Archie, the first time around in 2019. Despite rumours that Harry would take a two-week paternity leave (the UK minimum), he was on a plane to the Netherlands for the Invictus Games just three days after Archie was born.
On Good Morning America Tuesday, royal correspondent Omid Scobie discussed the Sussexes’ parental leave. “We’re so used to seeing royal men heading back to work almost the next day—sometimes, the same day. We’ve seen senior royals on engagements almost the same time as the birth,” Scobie said. “But Harry and Meghan are sort of leading by example with their Archewell foundation. They offer up to 20 weeks of parental leave for mother and father. They’re doing exactly the same, so it’ll be several months off work for the pair of them.”
The royal family usually takes the same parental leave as other British citizens: six months for maternity leave and two weeks for paternity leave. Prince William and Kate, on the other hand, did not always follow this. After Prince George was born, Kate only took one month, Princess Charlotte five months, and Prince Louis six months.
The Sussexes have yet to release a photo of their baby, but in her birth announcement, they did provide some other specifics about her, including her weight (7 lbs 11 oz.) and the fact that she and Meghan Markle are “healthy and well, and settling in at home.”
It’s not a given that Meghan and Harry will make public appearances this summer, but it’s not impossible. During her maternity leave after the birth of their first child, Archie, Meghan attended the London premiere of The Lion King and a baseball game with Prince Harry, for example.
Harry and Meghan are no longer compelled to attend events or follow any regulations now that they have stepped down from their royal duties. While they haven’t said how long they’ll be on parental leave, Archewell will continue to operate as usual.
Harry and Meghan named their daughter after two of Harry’s most treasured relatives: Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, Harry’s late mother. In their announcement, the pair stated, “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales .”
The Duke of Sussex is likely to be in London in July for the opening of the Princess Diana statue, which is scheduled for July 1. The pair will not be present this Saturday’s Trooping of the Colour, which is understandable given that their daughter was born on June 4th.
