What relationship will Harry and Meghan’s new baby have with the royal family?

The new daughter will be eighth in line to the throne

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (VIA REUTERS)

On 14 February, Valentine’s Day, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they were expecting a second child.

They made the announcement with a single black and white image of the couple, showing Meghan’s baby bump, taken by a photographer friend, Misan Harriman.

Although the exact due date has not been disclosed, the couple made clear that their daughter is due in the summertime. She will be the younger sister of their two-year-old son Archie.

Despite Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the British monarchy having changed since the birth of Archie, and no longer being senior working royals, their daughter will be related to the royal family by blood and will be in the line of succession to the throne.

So what might her relationship with the royals look like?

How will the new baby be related to the Queen?

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s daughter will be the Queen’s great-granddaughter and Prince Charles’ granddaughter.

Charles already has four grandchildren - George, Charlotte, Louis, and Archie. The new baby will be his fifth grandchild. While the Queen has ten great-grandchildren from her eight grandchildren.

Her eldest, Prince Charles, has two sons - Prince William and Harry. Her only daughter Princess Anne has two children - Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips.

Prince Andrew has two daughters - Princess Beatrice and Eugenie. Her youngest son Prince Edward has two children - Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already made clear that they have continued their relationship with Her Majesty from California, with Harry explaining that the family use video-call technology to catch up, as well as exchange gifts.

He told Oprah that he has spoken to the Queen more in the last year than he has in “many, many years” and that she bought Archie a waffle maker for Christmas.

Where will she be brought up?

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan stepped down as working members of the royal family and moved to Santa Barbara in the United States.

Unlike their son Archie, who was born at Portland Hospital in London while Harry and Meghan were still working royals, their daughter will be born in California, where Meghan was also born.

Due to coronavirus restrictions on international travel, it is unclear when the members of the royal family will be able to meet her in person, including her grandfather Prince Charles and great grandmother the Queen.

At the time of the pregnancy announcement, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Her Majesty, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and the entire family are delighted and wish them well.”

With their family now based in America, it is likely their new baby will be raised there and will not be a working member of the royal family, like her parents who have stepped back from official duties and instead work on their own charitable foundation, Archewell.

In the documentary series about mental health, The Me You Can’t See, Prince Harry revealed that London is a “trigger” for him because of the childhood trauma he suffered there after losing his mother Princess Diana.

What will her role in the royal family be?

As Prince Harry’s daughter, she will be eighth in line to the throne following her brother, Archie. This will replace the current eight position of the Duke of York.

In the future, she could take on a similar role to that of Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice. The daughters of Prince Andrew are not working royals and have their own careers, but they do attend important royal events and can be called upon for royal duties when necessary.

As a non-senior royal, she and her brother Archie will also be entitled to pursue their own careers. Royal commentators have previously suggested this could even include a career in politics.

In a Channel 4 documentary, Omid Scobie, royal editor at Harper’s Bazaar said: “There’s so much talk about whether Archie or his sister might become president one day or take on a life in American politics.”

And Victoria Howard, Editor of The Crown Chronicles said: “We may have Archie and his sister deciding to perhaps take on careers in Hollywood.”

Prince Harry has spoken openly about his upbringing since moving to the US. On the Armchair Expert podcast, he said he wants to “break the cycle” of pain and suffering he had endured for his own children.