Harry and Meghan: Newest royal baby could be an American

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Harry and Meghan: Newest royal baby could be an American

2019-04-25 17:36 Last Updated At：17:40

What would the founding fathers think? Almost 250 years after the United States launched a revolution to rid itself of the British royal family, the next royal baby could be an American.

The idea that a scion of the former colonies would be seventh in line to succeed Queen Elizabeth II to the throne could change the royal family from within — and help extend a surge in popularity for the monarchy.

The child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex — Meghan Markle became a duchess when she wed Prince Harry a year ago — is due very soon.

Baby Sussex, as the child is known ahead of its birth, will be a product of two cultures: its father a prince who is a symbol of Britain; its mother quintessentially American — a self-made TV star with a white father and an African American mother.

The child is unlikely to ever become king or queen, but the presence of a half-American child who may choose to hold dual nationality could shake up the royal family, just as the arrival of Meghan has had a modernizing effect on the stately but sometimes stodgy House of Windsor.

"It's quite possible the child will have a lot of American influence," royal commentator Hugo Vickers said. "The royal family is not totally unused to that kind of thing. Children have been born with Greek mothers or German mothers in the past, obviously, but Meghan is the first American mother so close in the royal family."

Certainly, Meghan isn't following any of the royal scripts when it comes to childbirth preparations.

Unlike Harry's brother Prince William and his wife Kate, Harry and Meghan have chosen to keep the details about their baby planning private despite — or perhaps because of — intense media interest in the baby's arrival, expected in the next few weeks.

The couple haven't revealed where Meghan intends to give birth, so there isn't likely to be a 24/7 media stakeout outside the hospital as was the case for the birth of William and Kate's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Don't expect a photo of the happy family walking out of the hospital looking picture perfect hours after the birth — Harry and Meghan have said they want to celebrate privately with their extended family before telling the world a baby has been born.

Palace officials accustomed to having a role in choreographing the coverage of major royal events are concerned that Harry and Meghan may announce the birth on their brand new Instagram account — and give the public its first glimpse of the baby via Instagram as well.

Harry faces less pressure to conform to royal protocol than William because of William's role as a likely future king — he will follow his 70-year-old father Prince Charles to the throne.

That also makes the baby's American parentage less of a pressing issue, since it would take a series of tragedies to hit William's children for Baby Sussex to become monarch.

That hasn't kept the British media from speculating that Meghan will choose an American as a nanny — Mary Poppins be damned! — and possibly even put a man, or manny, in that crucial role. Some believe Meghan will insist on dual citizenship for the child, a status that is allowed by both countries.

Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, says many have no issues with evolving traditions in the monarchy.

"Our royal family, like all the other European royal families, are no longer marrying within royal families, so this is inevitable, and many would say a good thing."

Macron outlines his vision for Europe to become an assertive global power as war in Ukraine rages on

2024-04-26 00:49 Last Updated At：00:52

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday that Europe could “die” if it fails to build its own robust defense as Russia’s war in Ukraine rages on, or if it fails to undertake major trade and economic reforms to compete with China and the U.S.

Macron urged Europeans to become more ambitious in a fast-changing world to face the challenges of war, fierce trade competition, energy scarcity, climate change and increasing authoritarianism.

In a nearly two-hour speech at Sorbonne University in Paris, Macron said that the continent is divided and “too slow and lacks ambition” at a time when the 27-member European Union needs to become a superpower, defend its own borders and speak with one voice if it wants to survive and thrive.

“Our Europe today is mortal,” Macron said. “It can die and that depends solely on our choices,” he added. He called on people to make those choices now because, “it’s today that Europe is between war and peace.”

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year, is an existential threat and Europe isn't armed enough to defend itself when “confronted by a power like Russia that has no inhibitions, no limits,” Macron said.

‘Our ability to ensure our security is at stake," Macron said. “Russia mustn’t be allowed to win.”

Europe now has the “good fortune” of having the Biden administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, Macron said. But, in a year of key elections around Europe, in the U.S. and elsewhere, support may fragment or disappear entirely, he added.

“Europe must become capable of defending its interests, with its allies by our side whenever they are willing, and alone if necessary,” Macron said.

Strong armies, a European rapid intervention program and force, tanks, a missile shield and other weapons, produced in Europe, will need the support of “a joint diplomatic force that will speak with one voice and build bridges with Africa and Latin America,” the French leader said.

“Only then will Europe show that it's not a United States’ lap dog, and that it also knows how to talk to other regions of the world,” he said.

France has been a firm supporter of Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, and Macron has often clashed with other Western leaders as he has insisted that Europe must stand by the country at any cost. The French president alarmed European leaders by saying recently that sending Western troops into Ukraine to shore up its defenses shouldn’t be ruled out.

Referring to trade practices of China and the U.S., Macron said “the two world powers have decided not to respect the rules of global trade” by shoring up protections and subsides while Europe’s industry remains open and is stuck in overregulation.

“Let’s do the same, we are in competition,” Macron said.

“We must buy faster, we must produce more and we must buy more that is made in Europe. That is key,” Macron said.

Thursday's speech came less than two months before a pivotal European Parliament election.

Macron, an avid advocate of a united and assertive Europe, also rallied support for his centrist Renaissance party before the June 6-9 vote as far-right parties lead the moderate coalitions in the polls. He called for safeguarding democratic values as the “authoritarian model” was becoming “more popular” across the continent.

The war in Ukraine and immigration are top priorities for European Union voters, according to polls. Far-right parties have gained support by criticizing Macron’s government policies on both issues. Macron acknowledged divisions on immigration policies, including on asylum and deportation rules for those who have arrived to Europe illegally.

He emphasized the need for an effective response and Europe-wide coordination for curbing illegal immigration, closer cooperation with immigrants' countries of origin and a unified, relentless fight against human traffickers.

Macron criticized the idea of striking an agreement, as Britain as done, with countries in Africa and elsewhere to transfer immigrants there.

“This is a betrayal of our values that ultimately leads us to dependency on other counties,” Macron said.

The British government earlier this week approved a law allowing the deportation of some migrants who enter the country illegally to Rwanda.

Macron lost his majority in France’s most influential house of parliament, the National Assembly, after the 2022 election to the far-left coalition and the far-right National Rally party.

The social situation in France remains tense as Paris prepares to host the Olympic Games this summer, amid protests from teachers and police officers, and farmer demonstrations in recent weeks. The protests follow huge rallies last year against Macron’s ultimately successful proposal to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Barbara Surk reported from Nice, France. Lorne Cook contributed to this report from Brussels.

Harry and Meghan: Newest royal baby could be an American

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Harry and Meghan: Newest royal baby could be an American

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