Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Announced Their Pregnancy News at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s Wedding

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they were expecting their first child together (who would later be named Archie) on October 15, 2018, the public couldn’t contain their excitement. But before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the news with the world, they revealed the information to the royal family. In his new memoir, Spare, Harry opens up about the first time the couple broached the subject with their relatives. Harry writes in his novel that he and Meghan had planned on starting a family after they tied the knot in May of 2018. They learned they were expecting a few months later, so they decided to tell members of the royal family at Princess Eugenie’s wedding on October 12, 2018.

Harry says in the book that he and Meghan pushed pause on their first royal tour as a married couple to attend Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s nuptials. At the wedding, they pulled each family member aside and individually told them the news. Sharing the pregnancy announcement with King Charles III, in particular, was a happy memory for Harry. “At Windsor, just before a drinks reception for the bride and groom, we cornered Pa in his study,” Harry recalls in Spare. “He was sitting behind his big desk, which afforded his favorite view, straight down the Long Walk. He was delighted to learn that he was going to be a grandfather for the fourth time. His wide smile warmed me.”

During the reception at St. George’s Hall, Harry mentions that he and Meghan also told Prince William and Kate Middleton, which was another moment that Harry looks back on with fondness. “We whispered the news, and Willy smiled and said we must tell Kate,” Harry recalls. “She was across the room, talking to Pippa. I said we could do it later, but he insisted. So we went and told Kate, and she also gave a big smile and hearty congratulations. They both reacted exactly as I’d hoped—as I’d wished.”

Three days after Eugenie and Jack tied the knot, Kensington Palace revealed the pregnancy news with the public. "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019," the palace released in a statement. "Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public." At the time, the couple had just arrived in Australia for their first tour as newlyweds. Harry reminisces on that time in his book, calling Meghan a “dynamo” for handling the crowded tours with a smile. “All across Australia, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, she dazzled,” Harry writes. “After one especially rousing speech, she got a standing ovation.”

On May 6, 2019, Meghan gave birth to their first son. Two days later, they announced his name: Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. According to royal reporter Emily Andrews, the couple chose the name simply because they liked it. The new parents hosted a private christening for their baby boy the following month. After the duke and duchess announced that they would be stepping down from their senior royal roles, the duo tried to get pregnant a second time, but in November of 2020, Meghan revealed that she had miscarried while describing the details in an essay for The New York Times. 

On Valentine’s Day of 2021, the couple shared that their family of three would soon become a family of four. “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother,” a statement read. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.” On June 4, 2021, the duo announced the birth of their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor—a nod to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana. "It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world," the couple shared on their Archewell Foundation website. "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital."