Will Meghan and Harry’s Baby Have American Citizenship?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are expecting their first child in a matter of weeks, and Baby Sussex will be the first child of a senior royal to have an American-born parent. Since Meghan is still an American citizen — and will be for the next few years — questions have popped up as to the child’s citizenship status. There are actually a few options.

Like the US, the UK has birthright citizenship, so if the new royal baby is born in the UK, they will automatically hold British citizenship. However, it would be possible for the baby to hold dual citizenship, but it will depend on Meghan’s citizenship status. The duchess is in the process of becoming a British citizen, but has not stated whether she intends to maintain dual American citizenship or not. If she does, that opens an avenue for her child to hold dual American citizenship as well, as the child of a US citizen married to a non-US citizen and living abroad.