As Meghan Markle’s due date draws ever closer, it would be safe to say the world is in royal baby mania.
We don’t use the term lightly – anticipation for Baby Sussex is so high that it’s almost the only thing any royal fan can talk about.
Repeated conversations include, but are not limited to: Will it be a boy or a girl? What will its name be? And where will Meghan give birth?
And while we can’t get these answers straight away, there are some things we can be sure of – as will Meghan.
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Duchess Meghan will have a long list of rules to following after her baby is born. (Image: Getty)
It’s known that the birth of any royal baby is no small production, but even so, the protocol set to be implemented around the birth of Meghan and Harry’s first baby is very strict.
In fact, there are eight rules that Meghan and Harry will need to following the birth of Baby Sussex.
The very first thing is to share the news with the bub’s paternal great grandmother, the Queen.
Next, the moment we’ve all been waiting for – an official statement will be released by the Palace announcing the birth of the royal baby. Of course, the world will probably already be on alert because someone would have tipped off the media that the Duchess is in labour, or that something has happened.
In a nod to very old royal traditions, the official birth notice will then be presented on an easel outside Buckingham Palace. This will also announce the gender of the baby.
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The Palace announces the birth of a royal baby via an easel outside Buckingham Palace. (Image: Getty)
After a brief hiatus where the new parents will actually be able to enjoy a private moment with their new bundle of joy, the world at large will get a gander of Baby Sussex as Meghan and Harry step out for an official photo call.
This step has already been the subject of so much speculation, particularly around whether Meghan will take the Kate Middleton route of stepping out within hours of giving birth – hair, makeup and outfit on point.
Our guess? We’re anticipating the American-born royal will [opt for something a little different to Kate’s admirably formal display]
(https://www.nowtolove.com.au/royals/british-royal-family/meghan-markle-kate-middleton-birth-53737|target=”_blank”) because she has already shown she is keen to forge on her unique way.
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Meghan won’t necessarily follow Kate’s lead when it comes to presenting her baby to the world for the first time. (Images: Getty)
Next comes the big name reveal – one that’s got punters across the world intrigued.
Expected to be announced a few days after the birth, top picks for a girl include Diana, Alice and Grace. For a boy, the most popular predictions are Arthur, Edward and James.
But before Baby Sussex’s new moniker and title is announced to the masses, there’s one small thing to do first – the Queen herself must approve it. And this announcement of the name won’t happen straight away – for Kate and William’s son, Louis, it was four days after his birth.
WATCH: Prince Harry says he hopes his new baby will be a girl. Story continues after video…
The next big occurrence comes ahead of the baby’s christening, which will involve a 21-gun salute.
And finally, it’s the christening. This will also involve the selection of four godparents – the identities of whom are being very much debated by us commoners.
William and Kate might be obvious choices, but after Harry was made godfather to Zara Tindall’s new baby Lena, there’s a chance he may ask her to return the favour.
With that being said, there’s no denying there’s a lot of royal baby chatter to look forward to over the coming months.
Stay tuned, we’ll be waiting for that first royal baby alert from Kensington Palace like a hawk.