Why Royal Baby Watchers Definitely Thought Meghan Markle Went Into Labor on Friday
Royal baby watchers flew into a tizzy on Friday, when, according to the UK’s Express, an ambulance was spotted near Frogmore Cottage. That just so happens to be the new home Markle shares with her husband, Prince Harry.
Given that the Duchess of Sussex’s due date is reportedly at the end of April or beginning of May—and, well, it happened to be April 26—the timing seemed pretty perfect for it to be a sign that Baby Sussex was finally on his or her way.
Plus, Markle’s mom Doria Ragland is already in town, too. They skipped Easter services with the rest of the royal family, but Kate Middleton and Prince William popped by after church for a visit.
Unfortunately, it turned out to be a false alarm: South Central Ambulance Service, which serves Windsor, told People later on Friday that the mystery ambulance was just a driver training vehicle. The magazine also notes that Markle probably won’t be going anywhere in an emergency vehicle unless there’s, well, an emergency, nor would there be one slated to be on standby.
“South Central Ambulance Service will continue to care for all patients in Windsor in the usual way,” the organization said in a statement to People. “It is not possible to comment on the general movement of ambulances around the Windsor area and patient confidentiality must be respected at all times. Furthermore, we do not comment on operational matters relating to members of the Royal Household.”
Of course, we probably won’t know right away if the royal baby has been born: Prince Harry and Markle have already said that they will be keeping the birth details private, so we won’t be getting a Kate Middleton-style hospital photo shoot after the baby arrives. In fact, we’re not even sure where the duchess will be giving birth. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read. “Their Royal Highnesses 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.”
All in all, we’re just hoping Markle has a safe and happy labor—we can’t wait to meet little Baby Sussex.