Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Second Child Could Be ‘Great Unifier’ For Royal Family

May 12, 2021

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they were expecting their second child in February 2021, which was a source of joy for many in the royal family as well as royal fans. The couple announced that they are expecting baby number 2 in a beautiful post of a black and white photograph on Sunday, February 14.

Markle had heartbreakingly revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage last July, so this news comes as a very happy event in the couple’s lives. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their senior royal duties last January as well to give themselves a chance at a more normal life. They currently reside in California with their son Archie. 

However, tensions have been high following Harry and Meghan's departure as senior working members of the royal family. The already tense relationship between Harry and the family ignited further after Harry and Markle sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a controversial interview in March. During the television special, the couple openly criticized the royal family and its culture. 

Prince Philip's death on April 9, 2021, was a trying and sorrowful time for the royal family. His funeral on April 17, 2021, was, in some ways, a segue for the family to heal after the tumultuous year. While there was some hope that the fraught relationship between Harry and his immediate family members might have thawed a little after the funeral service, royal expert Nick Bullen told Us Weekly that he believes the new baby might be a "great unifier" for the royal family members. 

Nick Bullen, royal expert and founder of True Royalty TV told Us Weekly that the couple’s new baby could bring the royal family closer after the difficult year they have had. 

He told the magazine, "The birth of a baby is always a great unifier for a family and I’m sure all sides of the Sussex family will want to celebrate with Harry and Meghan. I think you can be absolutely certain that Harry and Meghan will be jumping on a Zoom call to introduce Her Majesty to her 11th great-grandchild."

Just last week on May 6, the couple's son Archie turned two years old, and the queen posted a special tribute to the Royal Family Instagram account in honor of the occasion. Although the queen and Archie are an entire ocean apart, she made sure to send her great-grandson her love. The caption read:

"Wishing Archie Mountbatten-Windsor a very happy 2nd birthday today. 🎈"

Harry and Meghan also marked their son's birthday by releasing a new photograph of him. Though we do not get a look at Archie's face, the sepia-toned photo is taken from behind and features the toddler standing up, wearing an adorable knit sweater, tiny trousers and sneakers. The photo shows that his head is already full of curls, and he seems to be looking up at the bouquet of balloons he is holding. 

Harry and Meghan surprised royal fans with the new photo after they announced plans for a charitable initiative in honor of Archie's birthday. On their Archewell website, the couple encourages the public to make donations to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help provide COVID-19 vaccine equity for underprivileged nations around the globe.

Harry and Meghan revealed that their second child was going to be a girl in March 2021 during their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. Harry was overjoyed to know that they were having a baby girl. “A girl, you know, what more can you ask for?” he told Winfrey. “But now, you know, now we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great.” Harry also added that he and Meghan were "done" having kids after their second child. 

The interview with Oprah was also a chance for Meghan and Harry to open up about their experience as senior working royals, and the couple delved into the reasons they had for leaving. Their sharp criticism of the royal family's culture was met with some shock around the world, but the couple also found a lot of support. 

While the royal family did release a comment following the interview, there have been continued reports of a rift between Harry and the rest, especially his brother Prince William. The currently fraught relationship between the brothers has reportedly thawed a little after Prince Philip's funeral service. 

Royal watchers are predicting that Harry and Meghan may honor Philip, and especially Elizabeth, by choosing a meaningful name for their daughter, who is due sometime in the summer. 

Express UK reported that fans predict the name to be "Lily," which is a tribute to Elizabeth's nickname "Lilibet." 

We may only know what the baby girl's name will be after her birth, but we are sure that Harry and Meghan will be overjoyed to welcome her, as will the rest of the royal family. 

Do you think Harry and Meghan's second baby can help to heal the rift in the royal family? Do you have any guesses for what Harry and Meghan may choose to name her? Tell us what you think, and be sure to ask your friends what their thoughts are as well.