Royal baby news: Official Instagram account pays tribute to mums on Mother's Day

According to bookies, despite having been given no indication either way from the royal family, many are under the impression that the Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby girl.

As of earlier this month, the odds of the royal baby being a girl were 4-7, online bookmaker BetVictor stated.

Meanwhile, the odds of the royal baby being a boy were 5-4.

Earlier this month, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they intend to keep the arrival of their baby a secret.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace said the royal couple "have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private".

"The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family."

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Even the newest royal baby's surname is currently unknown, as royal children have been known to use a variety of surnames.

While descendants do share the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, the birth certificates of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all feature the surname "Cambridge", for their parents' assigned dukedom.

If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex decide to do the same, their child will likely have the surname "Sussex".

The Duchess of Sussex has previously said that she hopes her baby will be a feminist.

During a panel discussion in honour of International Women’s Day on 8 March, Meghan referenced Johanna Demetraka’s 2018 documentary Feminists - What Were They Thinking? while discussing her “little bump”.

“I’d seen this documentary on Netflix on feminism and one of the things they said during pregnancy was ‘I feel the embryonic kicking of feminism,’” the duchess said. “I love that. So boy or girl or whatever it is, we hope that that’s the case, our little bump.”

It appears even soon-to-be uncle Prince William is unsure when the baby will arrive.

On Saturday, while visiting New Zealand, the Duke of Cambridge was asked: “Any signs of the royal baby?” by a woman in the crowd.

Prince William responded to the question admitting he had “no idea”.

“I haven’t got my phone on me,” he joked, before adding: “I have no idea. You guys will find out before I do at this rate.”

Prior to becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle previously told Lifestyle magazine her dreams for the future included a family.

“I dreamt [of becoming] a successful working actress, which I can now very thankfully tick off the list. And I also dream to have a family,” Meghan said during an interview in 2016.

The duchess also said life is about “balance” and that a family would keep her “grounded”.

“Raising a family will be a wonderful part of that,” she added.

When the baby arrives, it will be seventh in line to the throne.

The newest royal will take its place behind its father Prince Harry, and its three cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

The baby’s sex will not dictate its place in the line of succession, according to a change in law announced in March 2015.

The updated law ensures that royal babies born after 28 October 2011 maintain their position in the line of succession, regardless of sex.

Throughout her pregnancy, the Duchess of Sussex has proven her fashion sense with a maternity wardrobe worthy of a royal.

Appearing at various public engagements, the mother-to-be has worn memorable outfits from designers including Stella McCartney to Carolina Herrera.

Click through to see a gallery of the duchess’s best maternity looks below. 

Although there has been no confirmation, some believe the Duchess of Sussex will give birth at the Lindo Wing in St Mary’s Hospital, in London.

The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to all three of her children in the Lindo Wing’s private maternity ward, as did other notable figures, including Amal Clooney and Pippa Middleton.

The Duchess of Sussex may also choose to have a home birth, with the couple previously announcing they intend to keep the arrival of the baby secret. 

In addition to the Duchess of Sussex’s official baby shower, which took place in New York in February, the couple has also been the recipients of a “grassroots-led baby shower”.

Earlier this month, a social media campaign was launched anonymously with the goal of encouraging people to carry out charitable acts in celebration of the royal baby.

Despite having no official connection to the royal family, #GlobalSussexBabyShower was so successful that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex used their Instagram account to thank all those who donated.

“What an incredibly special surprise the grassroots led #globalsussexbabyshower was last Sunday!” the Instagram caption read. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and support in anticipation of the birth of their first child.”