Royal tour: Palace announces Meghan and Harry are expecting a baby

A pregnant Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will still travel to Tonga and Fiji next week despite the presence of the Zika virus.

Harry and Meghan announce they are expecting a baby.

A pregnant Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will still travel to Tonga and Fiji next week as part of their royal tour, despite the presence of the Zika virus in those countries and its risk for expecting mothers.

A Kensington Palace spokesman confirmed the Duchess of Sussex had taken medical advice, and would continue with the original itinerary despite the prevalence of the primarily mosquito-transmitted in the two pacific nations.

According to the British Government’s foreign travel advice website, the equivalent of DFAT’s Smartraveller, UK health authorities have classified Fiji and Tonga as having a “moderate risk” of Zika transmission.

The government resource links to a further website, which warns that “pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel until after the pregnancy.”

For pregnant women who contract the Zika virus, it is known to trigger subsequent birth defects, including microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is significantly smaller than normal.

Zika can also cause paralysis for adults who are infected, and it is not known to have obvious or severe first symptoms.

Palace announces royal baby

Earlier, Kensington Palace announced the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting a baby.

According to a tweet from the Palace’s official Twitter account, the baby is due in the Spring of 2019 (Autumn Australian time).

The Royals are currently on a week-long tour of Australia, which will include the opening and closing ceremonies of the Invictus Games.

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

“Their Royal Highnesses very much appreciate all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share their happy news,” said a Palace spokesman.

“The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted for the couple and were able to congratulate them on Friday at the wedding in person.”

“Ms Doria Ragland is very happy about the lovely news and she looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild.”

Rumours of a pregnancy swirled last month when the Duchess of Sussex appeared to have a “baby bump” at a gala dinner, though these suspicions were quickly thrown out, blamed on the ruffles on her dress for giving the illusion.