Local mothers have spoken out about the NHS maternity ward at Frimley Park Hospital, which is just a half hour drive away from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new home.
Mothers have revealed what it’s like to give birth at the exclusive hospital, near the couple’s recently converted Frogmore Cottage, where the Countess of Wessex also chose to deliver her two children.
Despite being an NHS hospital, mothers lucky enough to have given birth in the hospital’s Mulberry Suite are treated to double beds, low level lighting and birthing pools; there’s even a vegan menu which offers vegetable burgers, reported Hello magazine.
While it’s not yet been confirmed where the mother-to-be will give birth, local mothers have spoken out to say they hope Meghan won’t be on the same ward as them.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are expecting their first child together this month, and have not confirmed where the Duchess will be giving birth. The Mulberry Suite, with it’s vegan menu and ‘natural approach’ to the process, is just a stone’s throw from their new home at Frogmore Cottage
‘Meghan and I are due at a similar time,’ said Adele Mayo. ‘I’m kind of hoping that we don’t go into labour at the same time because I know that she’ll be given the preferential treatment, and probably go into the room that I want to.’
The hospital’s labour ward has 12 rooms, but it’s the Mulberry Suite that is most coveted.
The suite offers six spacious rooms, one of which has a birthing pool, and also offers a double bed for the new parents to spend the night together.
The Frimley Park Hospital is said to be the ‘most swanky’ in the area, and features plush features including vegan menus and low level lighting
However the hospital only features one birthday pool, which local mothers are hoping the Duchess of Sussex won’t nab
This would give Prince Harry and Meghan plenty of space and privacy to welcome their newborn to the world.
It also allow plenty of space for Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland to spend time with the couple.
It is understood that the couple ruled out the option of using the private Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, like the Duchess of Cambridge – who delivered George, now five, Charlotte, three, and 11-month-old Louis there.
However, it is thought Harry and Meghan decided against it because it felt too much like a ‘goldfish bowl’.
The Mulberry Suite features six rooms, which would allow plenty of space and privacy for the royals to welcome their new baby
Rumours also swirled earlier this week as to whether the Duchess would have a home birth.
However, sources stressed at the time that Harry and Meghan, who are expecting their first child within weeks, have not ruled out a hospital delivery because a woman having a baby over the age of 35 is at an increased risk of premature birth, or the need for an epidural or caesarean.
Frimley Park may offer a good inbetween, with its natural approach to birth, and the fancy Mulberry suite, which offers low lighting, aromatherapy and a birthing pool there.
‘It actually looks a bit spa-like which I quite liked about it,’ revealed Adele.
The Frimley Park hospital may not be as ‘fancy’ as the private Lindo Wing where the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth, but it does have some luxuries
‘I’m praying it’s not a busy night on the ward when I go into labour because there’s only six rooms and the one room which has the birthing pool in it and all the low lights. That’s the one I have my heart set on.’
Frimley Park may not be as fancy as the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London, where the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth, but the NHS hospital certainly has its luxuries.
‘The food is, for hospital food, fantastic,’ revealed another mum Jessica Moore. ‘It’s really good, healthy food and cooked fresh. You can have vegan burgers if you so wish.
It’s maybe even been modelled on expensive, private suites because it does look very luxurious.’
The Frimley Park hospital would allow space for Prince Harry to stay overnight in a double bed on the ward
She added: ‘It’s like a home-from-home. It’s perfect. If I had a choice I wouldn’t give birth anywhere else.’
‘It’s like going into a hotel,’ said another mum, Jennifer Mancey.
‘The beds were perfectly made out as if they’ve just been ironed. Every room was different so it was more personal to you.’
Jessica was also given a double bed so that her husband could stay overnight.
‘They were very accommodating with that,’ she revealed. ‘The staff are fantastic. There is nothing you can’t ask them, there are no silly questions. They do their best for you.’
Local mothers called the hospital venue a ‘home-from-home’ style maternity ward and said though it was on an NHS hospital, it was more like ‘going into a hotel’
The hospital is used to the royal treatment, as Sophie Countess of Wessex gave birth at the hospital in 2003 and 2014
If Meghan does decide to give birth at the Surrey hospital, she will be following in the footsteps of the Countess of Wessex.
Sophie delivered both her daughter Lady Louise Windsor and her son James, Viscount Severn at the hospital.
She had to have an emergency caesarean with Louise, who was delivered premature in 2003.
The Countess returned to the Surrey hospital in 2014 when she was honoured to open its new neonatal unit.
‘The service you provide is paramount and can literally make the difference between life and death, I can attest to that!’ said Sophie.
‘It is rare to have the opportunity to thank people for the huge difference they have made at an important time in your life so I am so pleased to be here and to be able to say thank you in person.’