Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s royal baby is on the way—and he or she could be the first royal to hold dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and United States.
The royal couple announced that they’re expecting their first child on Monday morning, and questions about the baby’s future citizenship are already swirling.
Meghan, who is American, had plans to become a U.K. citizen after marrying Harry, the palace previously said.
According to the U.S. Travel Department, a baby born abroad in wedlock to a U.S. citizen and an alien acquires U.S. citizenship at birth if the U.S. citizen parent has been “physically present in the U.S. or one of its outlying possessions for five years prior to the person’s birth (which Meghan has), at least two of which were after the age of fourteen.”
A spokesperson for the family previously said it’s “too early to say” if Markle will retain her American citizenship after she becomes a British citizen. It is unknown whether she is currently applying to become a U.K. citizen, which is known to be a lengthy process.
As it stands, their baby would obtain dual citizenship for the U.S. and U.K. if Meghan does not give up her American citizenship before she’s due to give birth in the spring.
Also unknown as of right now is what title the royal boy or girl will receive. If their baby is a boy, he could be known by the title Earl of Dumbarton, the secondary Sussex title, before inheriting the dukedom, according to William Bortrick, chairman of Burke’s Peerage. If it’s a girl, she could potentially be called Lady (Her Name) Windsor.
The happy couple announced the news publicly after attending Princess Eugenie‘s wedding on Friday, where members of the royal family got to congratulate them in person.
