Harry and Meghan baby: titles, line of succession and - is there a due date?

15 February 2021, 09:19 | Updated: 15 February 2021, 10:32

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they are expecting a second child - but when is their due date? And will the new baby be in line with the throne?

Harry and Meghan Markle revealed the news on Sunday with a black and white photo of themselves sat under a tree in Los Angeles.

"We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother,” a spokesperson for the couple said.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child."

READ MORE: Queen 'delighted' as Harry and Megan announce they are expecting second child

Baby Sussex will be the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's 10th or 11th great-grandchild depending on whether he or she has a due date before or after Zara Tindall's baby, which is also due in 2021.

This is all you need to know about the latest addition to the royal family:

When is Meghan Markle's baby due?

Meghan's due date has not been revealed, but her bump appeared prominent in the photograph released by the royal couple.

She is pictured cradling her bump as she rests her head in Harry’s lap.

Where will the Prince Harry's baby be in the royal line of succession?

He or she will still be eighth-in-line to the throne, after the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Harry and their brother Archie in line to the throne.

The baby will be the most senior royal in the current line of succession to be born overseas and, like Archie, will grow up thousands of miles away from the rest of the royal family.

The duke and duchess quit their roles as senior working royals in March last year in a quest for personal and financial freedom.

They now live in an £11 million house in Montecito in California.

What title will the Meghan and Harry's baby have?

They will not be entitled, at this stage, to be an HRH nor a prince or a princess due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V.

This is the same as what would have happened pre-Megxit.

The baby is entitled to be a Lord or a Lady.

However Harry and Meghan will again opt to style their second-born a plain Master, like Archie, or a Miss, with the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.

How have the other royals responded?

The Queen and the rest of the royal family are said to be "delighted" at the news.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and entire family are delighted and wish them well."

Who took the photo that was released alongside the news?

The image was taken remotely from London using an iPad by the couple's long-time friend and photographer Misan Harriman.

Mr Harriman is the first black male photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover in its 105-year history. He shot its September edition cover in 2020.

The previous year the Duchess of Sussex guest edited the September issue - traditionally the fashion bible's most important of the year.

Mr Harriman's work has also featured in Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazaar and People Magazine, a biography on his website states.

As well as Ms Markle, the Nigerian-born photographer has pictured celebrities including actors Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and Olivia Colman and singer Rihanna.

He is a self-described activist supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as well as a mental health campaigner with an interest in dyslexia.