Speculation Over Harry & Meghan’s Second Baby’s Nationality Continues

BuzzFebruary 24, 2021

From holding your baby for the first time to hearing their low-pitched contented voices, everything about motherhood is breathtaking. And for the family as well as the expecting lady, the joy and curiosity that surrounds the unborn child are extraordinary.

Now, when the expecting mother is someone as high-profile as a Royal member, the entire world watches over every little detail. You might’ve guessed by now that we’re talking about the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. It was in July 2020 that Meghan penned down a public note about her miscarriage. While the hopeful parents were naturally distraught, fans of the much-loved couple were quite disheartened as well.

PA | In mid-February 2021, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced that they’re expecting their second child

But it seems that things are finally looking up for the duo. On February 14, 2021, Meghan and Harry announced that they’re expecting their second child. And although we as fans couldn’t be more excited, some Royal followers are concerned about the unborn child’s nationality. Would the baby be an American or a British citizen?

Join us as we try to find out.

Read – Is it true that Meghan won’t attend the Queen’s 95^th birthday celebrations ?

Will Archie’s sibling get dual citizenship?

Harry and Meghan have different citizenships – British and American, respectively – and that’s why most people believe that their child can acquire dual citizenship irrespective of where it’s born.

Sussex Royal | As per UK laws, even if a child is born outside the country, the parents’ citizenship is automatically transferred to it

Now, this isn’t baseless speculation, this is supported by law too. As per the rules of the UK government, British citizenship gets transferred to the next generation, so even if a child is born outside the country, it’s entitled to obtain British citizenship. The transfer isn’t applicable to the third level, though. So, while Archie and his sibling will automatically be British, their children would have to apply to get British citizenship if they’re born outside the country.

If we look at citizenship laws in the U.S., a child born to a couple that consists of one American and one non-American citizen is eligible to get U.S. citizenship only if its American parent has resided in the country for at least five years before its birth. This is the reason why Archie, who was born in London in 2019, still holds dual citizenship.

The ever-existing royal confusion over citizenship

In 2018, when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle, the palace announced that Meghan would become a UK citizen. A little later, an insider revealed that she would also be entitled to hold onto her American citizenship. But then in 2020 when the royal couple moved to California, there was a lot of debate over whether or not Meghan would want to retain her British citizenship.

Read – Meghan’s move to support sustainable fashion

Getty Images | The couple’s firstborn, Archie, also holds dual citizenship

Surprisingly, Meghan’s isn’t the only case in the Royal family who has been through citizenship confusion. In 2013, Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife Lady Frederick Windsor embraced Maud at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. So technically, this isn’t a “Royal First,” but naturally, considering how widely covered Harry and Meghan are, their case has certainly caught the spotlight!