Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have yet to confirm the sex of their baby but don’t expect the newborn to be wearing blue or pink, as they want to raise their child without gender-stereotyping
The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex reportedly told her friends that she and Harry, 34, will be avoiding gender-stereotypes with their son or daughter. The revelation comes just a month after it was reported that they had designed a gender-neutral nursery for the unborn child.
‘Meghan has been talking to some of her friends about the birth and how she and Harry plan to raise their baby. Her exact word was fluid,’ a source told Vanity Fair.
No pink or blue: Meghan Markle, 37, and Prince Harry, 34, are reportedly planning on raising their unborn child without any gender-stereotyping
Plan: Meghan, pictured in New York last week, reportedly told friends at her recent baby shower that they are going to take a ‘fluid approach to gender’
‘She said they plan to raise their child with a fluid approach to gender and they won’t be imposing any stereotypes,’ the royal insider added.
It’s unclear what exactly the royal mean when she used the term ‘fluid,’ as there are multiple interpretations of what that would look like.
As parents, the royal couple may avoid dressing their firstborn in certain colors that are associated with one gender more than the other and encourage their child to play with both dolls and trucks.
On the other end of the spectrum, there is a small group of parents who are raising ‘theybies’ — children who aren’t identified as male or female.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s modern approach to parenting may be a testament to Meghan’s California upbringing, as it has proven to be a popular view shared by many A-list stars.
Kate Hudson recently made headlines after she revealed in an interview with AOL that she is planning to take a ‘genderless approach’ to raising her newborn daughter Rani.
Dolls and trucks: The Duchess of Sussex said she and Harry won’t be ‘imposing any stereotypes’ on their child
Modern mom: Their modern approach to parenting may be a testament to Meghan’s California upbringing, as many A-list stars are raising their children in similar ways
She later clarified her statement, explaining that she simply meant she is raising her kids to feel free to be whoever they want to be.
‘Me saying a “genderless approach” was a way of refocusing the conversation in a direction that could exist outside of the female stereotype,’ she said. ‘It just felt a little antiquated to me. Not all girls want to be a princess, some want to be a king.’
Angelina Jolie, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Russel Brand are also among the celebrities who have spoken candidly about steering clear of gender stereotypes while raising their children.
In January, it was reported that Meghan and Harry designed an eco-friendly, gender-neutral nursery at their new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, where they plan to move before the baby’s expected arrival in late April, early May.
The nursery is believed to include a bedroom, a playroom, and a spare-bedroom for Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, when she stays with the couple.
As part of the nearly $4 million renovation of their Grade II listed home Frogmore Cottage, which is on the Queen’s Windsor Estate, they also reportedly made plans to install childproof window and a $66,000 eco-friendly boiler.
Famous mom: Kate Hudson recently made headlines after she revealed in an interview that she is planning to take a ‘genderless approach’ to raising her newborn daughter Rani
Open: Bryce Dallas Howard (left) and Russel Brand (right) have both publicly spoke about letting their respective children dress however they want, regardless of their gender
Looking back: Angelina Jolie was open about her daughter Shiloh Jolie-Pitt wanting to wear boys clothes and be called ‘John’ at the age of three
Meghan has enlisted the help of the star interior designer Vicky Charles, who decorated the chic hotel Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, which hosted Meghan’s bachelorette party for three days.
Royal sources said the nursery will be painted in trendy whites and grays, with Meghan avoiding any paints tested on animals or ones that contain milk or bee’s wax as an ingredient.
Instead, she has chosen a vegan, non-toxic, eco-friendly emulsion by Organic and Natural Paint Co.
‘Rather than opt for fashionable Farrow and Ball paint in favored shades such as Wevet, Peignoir and Pavilion Gray, and Salmon, the Sussexes are much in favor of The Organic & Natural Paint Co’s Auro range for the nursery,’ The Sun reported.
The paint brand, based in Norfolk, was set up in 2012 by father of two Chris Ridley after his family suffered from respiratory issues.
Infusing the paints with rosemary and eucalyptus oils is said to boost the immune system and creativity, and even enhance memory.
Decor: Meghan and Harry are planning to move into Frogmore Cottage before their baby’s arrival, and they designed a ‘gender-neutral’ nursery decorated in shades of white and gray
Taking all precautions: Meghan is using a vegan, non-toxic, eco-friendly emulsion by Organic and Natural Paint Co. (pictured) for the nursery
Professional: Meghan has enlisted the help of the star interior designer Vicky Charles (pictured), who decorated the chic hotel Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire
The plot thickens: Megan reportedly told guests at her shower that she and Harry are expecting a baby boy, but earlier this month she said it was a ‘surprise’
The sex of the royal baby remains unclear, but it was recently reported that Meghan told a friend at her lavish baby shower in New York City that she and Harry are expecting a boy.
Others have speculated that she is having a girl based on the decor at her star-studded party, which was held at The Mark Hotel’s incredible Grand Penthouse Suite.
Decorations for the shower started arriving the day before the bash, and there was plenty of pink — from the blush-colored roses to the cotton candy machine that was brought into the hotel.
Earlier this week, a video that emerged on social that appears to give a glimpse at the decorations inside the penthouse party.
Royal fan account harry_meghan_updates shared a video on Instagram Stories, claiming that the short clip was actually captured inside the star-studded baby shower.
The video shows a dessert table that features plenty of sweet treats, including four macaron towers from Laduree, which cost a total of $460.
It’s possible that Meghan took a gender-neutral approach to her shower decor, as her close pals were treated to multiple cupcakes iced in pink and green frosting as well as stork-shaped cake pops and miniature slices of carrot cake.
Also seen in the video are the iced baby-themed cookies that Meghan’s longtime friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin shared photos of earlier this week.
Behind-the-scenes: Earlier this week, a video that emerged on social that appears to give a glimpse at the decorations inside the penthouse party
Gender-neutral shower? The buffet featured stork cake pops, macaron towers, and miniature slices of carrot cake in shades of pink and green
Added touch; The crowning glory was a two-tiered cake that featured a miniature paper cut out of Harry and Meghan standing next to a stroller
Goodies! A picture of an iced cookie from the party shows a stork carrying a baby in a light green blanket
The crowning glory was a two-tiered cake, which featured a miniature paper cut out of Harry and Meghan, standing next to a stroller.
The confection is believed to be the work of event designer Darcy Miller, who has been credited with putting together the lavish dessert buffet at the event.
It is unknown who filmed the clip, which the account reposted from another Instagram Story, but the location is tagged as The Mark Hotel, where the royal’s shower was held.
Meghan’s decision to avoid raise her child without gender stereotypes makes sense considering her history of battling gender discrimination from an early age.
In 1993, Meghan wrote a letter to Procter & Gamble lobbying the Ivory Dishwashing Liquid manufacturer to change its chauvinistic commercial after watching it in her grade school social studies class.
The commercial proclaimed that ‘women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans,’ and Meghan took issue with the ‘sexist’ phrasing.
‘I don’t think it is right for kids to grow up thinking that mom does everything,’ she told Nick News that year.
Proctor & Gamble responded by changing the wording of the commercial from ‘women’ to ‘people.’