It’s been four months since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcomed baby Archie Harrison into the world. Now, they’re reportedly considering moving to the US where they can reunite with the ‘secret daughter’ the former Hollywood actress has kept hidden … until now.
Prior to marrying into the British royal family in 2018, the now Duchess of Sussex made no secret of the fact she wanted to have children, especially a baby girl.
In fact, the 38-year-old opened up to Hello! magazine in 2015 about her plans to pass down a sentimental Cartier French Tank watch she bought to hand on to her future daughter.
“I had it engraved on the back, ‘To M.M. From M.M.,’ and I plan to give it to my daughter one day,” Meghan said at the time.
And it seems, the Californianborn royal’s dream is finally coming true. “Meghan definitely wants to have a daughter,” reveals a source. “She’s longed for a little girl for so long and can’t wait until she’s blessed with their own princess.”
Until then, Meghan considers herself a second mother to her best friend Jessica Mulroney’s daughter Ivy, and treats her like a ‘secret daughter’. “Meghan really treats Ivy as if she were her own,” the insider continues.
The pair have an undeniably tight bond and Meghan is even said to be considering moving back home to be closer to her.
“They talk and Skype every day and Meg is always sending handwritten letters and sweet thoughtful gifts – she’s long thought of Ivy as a daughter.”
Meghan is also reportedly protective of Ivy, particularly since becoming a parent herself.
In fact, one of the reasons she supposedly shut down her pre-royal social media accounts was to protect the privacy of Ivy along with her other friends’ children, who were frequently pictured on her account.
Meanwhile, a potential move back to the US comes on the back of increasingly strained relationships between the duke and duchess and the rest of the royal family.
According to The Sun, the latest point of contention is Meghan and Harry’s snub of the annual Balmoral family vacation. “[Meghan] has never been to Balmoral and the Queen was disappointed they’re not going,” a source told the publication.
Despite the obvious strained relationships between Harry and his brother William, the Queen made an effort to personally invite the new parents to her Scottish estate.
But the Sussexes declined, citing that 4-month-old Archie was too young for the trip. This latest rebuff has put Meghan and Harry even further out of the royal fold. It’s also reportedly left Meghan yearning to escape to her home country to reunite with the people she cares about, like Ivy.
With reports circulating that the duke and duchess plan to extend their family sooner rather than later, the royal couple will need to make a decision about where they plan to settle.
Meanwhile, royal biographer Andrew Morton believes the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are likely to be trying to have a beautiful baby daughter. “I think the clock is ticking, and, as I say, a baby conceived under African skies,” Andrew says ahead of the royal couple’s tour of South Africa in October.
There’s also speculation the royal duo are even considering adopting a child from Botswana, a place close to their hearts
“Both Harry and Meghan were deeply moved when they visited an orphanage there. They vowed to each other that they would go back and give one of these children a home.
“Harry adopting a child from Africa would be the ultimate tribute he could pay his mother, Princess Diana, who made it her mission to help kids in Angola. And Meghan, who is mixed race, feels it honours the heritage of her mother, Doria.”