Excitement over the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby mounted today as bookmakers predicted the child is most likely to be born on Thursday.
Meghan, 37, is expected to give birth imminently to her first child with her 34-year-old husband Prince Harry, and she is believed to have been due last weekend.
But there is still no sign of the Queen’s latest great-grandchild ‘Baby Sussex’, as the soon-to-be seventh in line to the throne has been dubbed.
And royal fans have tweeted a series of memes about their impatience – among them the quote from 1997 film Titanic of the character Rose saying: ‘It’s been 84 years.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are pictured at Buckingham Palace on March 5 this year
Ladbrokes are offering odds of 1/6 that the baby will be born by Sunday, while Thursday is its 4-1 favourite for the day. A girl is priced at 4/6, ahead of a boy at 11/10.
Meghan and Harry have declined to reveal any details about the baby in advance such as when it is due or where the duchess has decided to have it.
Buckingham Palace will confirm when Meghan is in labour and the baby’s sex and weight when it is born, and the couple will pose for photographs a few days later.
The couple now live with their two dogs at Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle in Berkshire, and are believed to be hoping for a home birth.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s baby could share its birthday with sports stars, actors and even foreign royalty if it is born in the coming days.
If the baby is born today it will share its birthday with actress Kirsten Dunst, King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden and former England and Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard.
Tomorrow, it would join Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur, actress Joanna Lumley, Princess Margaret’s daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and actor Matt Di Angelo.
The royal baby could also share its birthday with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s daughter Princess Charlotte if it arrives on Thursday.
Harry’s appearance at the London Marathon on Sunday suggested to bookmakers the royal birth may not be imminent.
Betting firm Ladbrokes has May 2 as its 4-1 favourite for the day of the birth, and is offering odds of 1-6 on the duchess welcoming her first born this week.
The baby could also share its birthday with Princess Charlotte if it arrives on Thursday
Alex Apati from Ladbrokes said: ‘The wait to welcome the royal baby goes on and with Princess Charlotte’s birthday fast approaching, there’s every chance Harry and Meghan’s first born will share a birthday with their cousin.’
William Hill’s belief that the couple will have a girl was thrown into doubt when a customer attempted to place a £700 bet at 33-1 that they will have a boy and call it Albert. The potential payout would have been £23,100.
William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: ‘Until now we were 100 per cent sure that they were having a girl, but this request for a big bet on Albert has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works. It might not be as cut and dried as we thought.
It is also understood that the Sussexes are considering undertaking a tour to Africa in October as part of their new Commonwealth duties, possibly with their new baby.
Prince Harry’s appearance at the London Marathon on Sunday suggested to bookmakers the royal birth may not be imminent. The Duke of Sussex is pictured with the winner of the men’s marathon, Eliud Kipchoge, and women’s marathon, Brigid Kosgei, who are both from Kenya
The trip has long been pencilled in, although no detailed planning has started yet, as the couple want to wait until after their son or daughter is born before confirmation.
One source said it could be that Harry commits to travelling, with Meghan making a final decision much nearer the time.
This is partly due to the demands of a foreign trip and the fact that they will need to have childcare in place before they go.
It is also because of issues such as malaria which is prevalent in swathes of Africa, including Mozambique, Botswana and Tanzania, all of which are being considered.