MEGHAN AND HARRY’S THIRD BABY?

Firstly, congratulations to Meghan and Prince Harry, and let’s not forget Big Brother Archie! In a time when there is so much heavy, tiring and repetitive news, it’s nice to be reminded that joy does still occur! So the eighth in line to the throne is brewing, but what does that mean for a family who have deliberately taken a step back from Royal life?

I’m sure it just means family life as usual; family life as it’s meant to be – personal. Despite being scrutinised for every little thing she does, Meghan has done well to not shy away from talking about the things that really matter to her. And quite recently, it was miscarriage – her own miscarriage. Since the announcement of their pregnancy, I have seen many posts refer to it as her “second” child, as did their own spokesperson, “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child”. But what about the baby she lost? Was that not her second child? Or perhaps we don’t include those babies in the equation. It’s a tough one, and as someone who has experienced a miscarriage, I often found it hard to know how to respond when people, during my pregnancy, would innocently say, “So this is your fourth baby!”, and in my head I’m thinking, “I definitely did have and lose a baby – This is my fifth!”.

As a Christian, I know how sacred life is; I believe it’s important to recognise and remember, that all life, regardless of the age, comes from God. And the smallest and most pure ones that are lost, must be back with God, right? But what awkward British person wants to be reminded of that when they’re making polite chit chat? In reality though, Black women, are twice as likely to suffer miscarriage or stillbirth and 4 times more likely to die as a result of childbirth, than white women. So whilst this subject may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it may be something that The Duchess is all too familiar and aware of, because the statistics for mixed heritage (black and white) are not favourable either. Perhaps this is why it is not uncommon to encounter a Black pregnant woman who doesn’t want to publically announce it on social media or sometimes even to her own friends. Is this because Black people are private; is it because they are superstitious or could it be because there is a higher chance of loss, and who wants to then start telling everyone the sad news. Personally, I was very happy to hear about Meghan and Harry’s third baby. We are all called to different paths in life and if God has blessed them with a baby, who are we to question how they go about announcing it. I just pray that as expectant parents, they get the support they need and that this baby will thrive in the way that God intended.

Nana-Adwoa Mbeutcha is a Radio Producer and Presenter for Premier (Premier Christian Radio, Premier Gospel and Premier Gospel), and is Co-Founder and Podcaster for Black Mums Upfront.