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Now That Kate and William Have Had Baby No. 3, Will Harry and Meghan Be Godparents?

30/04/2018 - 10:15 AM

TOPSHOT - Britain's Prince Harry (R), his US fiancee Meghan Markle (C), and Britain's Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, attend a service of commemoration and thanksgiving to mark Anzac Day in Westminster Abbey in London on April 25, 2018. - Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. (Photo by Eddie MULHOLLAND / POOL / AFP)        (Photo credit should read EDDIE MULHOLLAND/AFP/Getty Images)

It's been hectic at Buckingham Palace, with wedding bells ringing [1] and storks delivering a royal baby [2]. Very soon, England's most beloved couple [3], Prince Harry and Meghan Markle [4], will be tying the knot. But before they get married, will they be chosen as godparents for Prince William and Duchess Kate's third child? Well, it's not impossible for them to be selected, but this choice would stray from Kate and William's past godparent decisions [5].

Most royals have multiple godparents [6] — Prince George has seven, whereas his sister, Princess Charlotte, has five. However, this doesn't necessarily increase Meghan and Harry's chances of becoming godparents. In the past, royals have selected family members to be the godparents to their children. The queen's godparents, for example, were her very own grandparents [7]. Having said that, there's been a shift away from selecting family members as godparents. Kate and William have selected most of their children's godparents from their pool of close friends.

"This is a definite move away from the more traditional — foreign royals or older relatives, none of who would have a close relationship with their godchild," royal expert Marlene Koenig explained to Town & Country [8]. According to Koenig, while English godparents typically provide their godchildren with personal guidance, royal godparents have a more formalised, distant responsibility where they are expected to send their godchildren presents for important occasions.

Not all family is barred from becoming godparents. Kate and William have appointed several cousins [9] to be their children's godparents. One of Prince George's godparents is William's cousin Zara Tindall, and Princess Charlotte's godparents include Kate's cousin Adam Middleton and William's cousin Lauren Fellows. It's just less probable that an immediate family member will become a godparent. Prince Harry was not selected to be a godfather to his niece and nephew, so it's not likely that the royal couple will deviate from this pattern for their third child. But who knows, Kate and William might break precedence for the lovely Meghan, who has become increasingly close with Kate [10].

While Harry and Meghan are probably not going to become godparents, we're still wishing them a wonderful wedding and a supportive relationship with their new nephew!


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https://www.popsugar.co.uk/celebrity/Harry-Meghan-Godparents-Kate-Baby-44784653