Royal baby: Harry and Meghan Markle’s surprise announcement at the end of day one in Sydney
KENSINGTON Palace has announced that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pregnant after their arrival to Sydney early this morning. After their first class Qantas flight, the couple spent the day relaxing at Admiralty House, even ordering home delivery — cravings perhaps?
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THE Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent their first day in Sydney relaxing at Admiralty House before the first official day of their bumper tour Down Under and, as Monday drew to a close, Kensington Palace confirmed what the world had been hoping for — Harry and Meghan are expecting their first baby.
The couple’s first child is due to arrive in the British spring, the Palace tweeted, which takes in the months of March, April and May.
The popular pair, who wed at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle last May, arrived in Sydney this morning ahead of the Invictus Games for the start of their first official royal tour.
The Duchess of Sussex looked radiant as she held hands with her husband and was wearing a knee-length coat and carrying two large folders close to her stomach, fuelling further speculation that she was pregnant.
Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. pic.twitter.com/Ut9C0RagLk
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2018
Sydneysider Roman Silantev rushed home from work and took his wife Alena to Admiralty House in the hope of getting a glimpse of the royals.
But they were just metres from history when the palace made the surprise announcement of Meghan's pregnancy.
It didn’t come as a surprise to Alena, who keenly watched the Duchess at Princess Eugenie’s wedding last week.
“I already knew, I could tell by Meghan’s choice of coat at the wedding,” Alena said.
Her husband was ecstatic to be at Admiralty House when the news of the pregnancy broke.”
“I am really just glad to be here, I have just heard it is confirmed information,” he said.
“We are already so fond of Princess Charlotte and Princess George.”
“It is a new generation of royals, they’re open minded.”
Another man, who turned up outside Admiralty House in a Union Jack blazer and wearing a Prince Charles mask insisted his name was Craig the Lionheart.
He said he hoped to get a glimpse of Harry.
“I’m 100 per cent British,” he said.
“(Meghan Markle) is gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous and I am going to try and get her sister’s phone number.”
Mr Lionheart said he had made his blazer at home.
Earlier on Monday before Kensington Palace made the official announcement about the couple’s baby joy, visitors were seen taking two new yoga mats into the grand harbourside Gothic-style mansion, perhaps to help Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to shake off any jet lag before the first events of the tour, which starts Tuesday morning with an official welcome by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
A home delivery from Menulog was also seen entering Admiralty House in the afternoon.
For Meghan it was her first time in Australia, but Harry, arguably the most popular of the young royals, has been many times — and always receives a rock star welcome.
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This time, with his new bride at his side, the crowds are expected to be even bigger for what is their first major international tour.
First class treatment
The newlyweds flew in to a gloomy Sydney morning on QF2, a commercial Qantas flight, after stopping briefly in Singapore on the way, in the same cabin used by Prince William and Kate Middleton and baby George when they last came to Australia.
The first class cabin is on the main deck of the massive Qantas A380 plane and includes 14 private suites with wide screen LCD video monitors, a touch screen control unit and a seat that swivels, massages and reclines into a flat bed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have been treated to complimentary pyjamas and slippers by Australian designer Martin Grant, along with bedding and a pillow menu by Sheridan.
The seats allow for a large dining table so the newly weds could enjoy dining together.
The menu included a Bouillabaisse of lobster, prawn and cod, Sichuan spice fried chicken with carrot pickles and lime mayonnaise and Pork wonton soup with egg noodles, shiitake, ginger and sesame.
SEE THE FULL MENU FOR LONDON TO SINGAPORE, OR SINGAPORE TO SYDNEY, OR EVEN THE WINE LIST
The delivery man cometh
Despite dining from the first class menu — created by celebrity chef Neil Perry — The Daily Telegraph observed a humble Menulog delivery man dropping off a brown paper bag of food at the Governor-General’s digs in Kirribilli, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are staying.
Surprised to learn the royal couple were inside he joked: “Oh they’re in there? English people love curry, right?”
It’s not known if the food was bound for royal plates, or for the security men guarding them.
Getting a lift from the airport
Security had been ramped up for hours before the couple’s arrival at Sydney Airport, with dozens of police forming a cordon around the arrivals area.
Then, at 7.40am the pair, flanked by security and their entourage emerged from the VIP exit of the airport.
Workers who had gathered to glimpse the royals, shouted “Welcome to Australia” and were rewarded with a megawatt Markle smile.
Looking glowing, even after the 21-hour flight from London, Meghan wore a black jumper and trousers and a large coat with burgundy lapels, as she clutched two purple folders.
Harry, who appeared to have a lump on his forehead, wore a grey zip-up sweater and put his own hand luggage into the boot of a car as he gave a quick thumbs up to onlookers.
It has been reported that among the ten-person strong entourage will be Meghan’s best friend and stylist, Jessica Mulroney, whose children were among the page boys and bridesmaids at Meghan and Harry’s wedding.
Meghan has also brought her personal hairdresser for the tour.
Roads were closed for the royal couple’s 20 minute journey from Mascot to Kirribilli with police outriders holding back rush-hour traffic and a small crowd gathered in the rain outside the Governor-General’s official residence.
‘I’d wait all day to see them’
Amy Connell from Sydney who arrived there to snap selfies with a friend, said it was Meghan’s fashion sense that made her want to see the Duchess.
“They seem down to earth — I really like them,” she said.
“Especially Meghan, she’s really fashionable. She is beautiful. She just got out of a 20-hour flight and looked amazing.”
Kirribilli woman Alisa Khakhar said she and her two young children would love to catch a glimpse of the royal couple.
“They’re an awesome couple, I think they put on a really good face for the royal family by modernising it,” she said.
Lauren Smith, 22, travelled from Ashfield and said she would be “happy to wait all day” to see the Duchess.
“If I don’t see her today, I’ll go to Bondi on Friday. And if I have no luck there, I’ll go to the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games on Saturday,” she said.
With royal fever building, NSW Police have warned of massive crowds at events wherever Harry and Meghan can be seen. There will be a huge police operation to protect both the royals and members of the public.
Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing said those who want to see the Royals will need to get to the venues early to secure a spot.
“Huge crowds are expected to make their way to the viewing opportunities, however there is only limited space available for the public and once sites are at capacity, people will be directed away from the area,” Assistant Commissioner Willing said, urging people to plan ahead.
The couple is here for the Invictus Games, created by Prince Harry to celebrate the spirit of sick and injured servicemen and women.
