Meghan Markle's Maternity Leave Plans Sound Chic and Relaxing

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published 22 February 2019

The countdown to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new baby is ON, y'all, and I could not be more excited. While Meghan celebrates with her family with not one but TWO showers, the question now is: What will Meghan, who is often busily hustling and bustling to various royal engagements, do when she gets to take a quieter pace after she gives birth and goes on maternity leave?

Well, HELLO! is here to bring us at least some of the details. Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland, is rumored to be flying in to help Meghan take care of the baby. Prince Harry, devoted dad that he is likely to be, will also be there, but "[will] be traveling back and forth to London where his office is still based." Meghan's BFF and stylist Jessica Mulroney has already visited London several times, so it's expected that she'll make a trip ASAP to visit the new addition.

It's not clear how long Meghan will take for her first maternity leave, or if Harry will join her for paternity leave (or for how long, if he does). Kate Middleton's maternity leave differed with each of her three children, and because the royals' work is flexible, they may change their plans once the baby comes in the spring.

But given that Frogmore Cottage is STILL under construction, and Meghan is apparently 7-plus months pregnant (according to her, George Clooney, and Kensington Palace—I didn't make that number up!), there is a good chance that there will still need to be some home decor updates after Meghan's due date and into the first few weeks and months with the new baby.

Also an adjustment for Meghan will be the relative privacy and quietude of Frogmore Cottage and the surrounding area. Meghan has, for the most part, lived in bustling cities of late (you KNOW Kensington Palace has to be busy 24/7, also), and this will be a lot quieter. HELLO! adds, "Harry and Meghan will have plenty of privacy as Frogmore Cottage is located in the Home Park, which is off limits to the public. This means they can enjoy country walks, with Meghan able to push her buggy around the park without being snapped by photographers or members of the public."

Kate Middleton ALSO takes Prince Louis out for walks outside, so maybe the two duchesses can take baby walks together? (I would love this.)

Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who used to live next door to Frogmore, spilled some more details about the real estate to HELLO!:

So, a visit to see the cows? Yes!

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McGrady added:

"From the front lawn of Frogmore Cottage, you can sit and look across at the Royal Household Cricket Club and listen to the wood on willow on a Sunday. Then you can sit in the back garden and look out onto Frogmore Gardens which is where Harry and Meghan had their evening wedding reception. And then Sunday afternoon is perfect. You just walk five minutes up the hill for afternoon tea with Granny, with the Queen, at Windsor Castle."

So it's going to be a relaxing, fun-filled first few months, by the sound of it.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.