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What's next for The Sussexes?
By Victoria Murphy 9 May 2019
As Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is presented to the world, royal correspondent Victoria Murphy looks at what the future holds for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their new arrival
Proud new parents the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were beaming as they posed for the first official photographs with their newborn son, Archie, earlier today. Standing in Windsor Castle's St George's Hall, where their wedding reception was held almost a year ago, the couple rejected a large-scale media moment in favour of a more intimate photocall. This decision was in-keeping with their request for privacy surrounding the birth, setting the tone for them being in control when it comes to what they share about their family life. Just a few hours after the images were published around the world, the couple announced they have named their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
As they start life as a family of three, we take a look at what's next for the Sussexes.
The Duke and Duchess moved into Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Frogmore House next to Windsor Castle in April. The Grade II-listed property, most recently used as accommodation for royal staff, underwent large-scale structural refurbishment to create a spacious and secure home. With the 5,000-acre Great Park next door, the area offers the Sussexes a rural lifestyle. However, the main streets of picturesque Windsor are often teeming with tourists, so the family may prefer to spend leisure time behind closed doors with friends. George and Amal Clooney, parents to toddler twins, have a home 30 minutes away. The Duchess's mother, Doria Ragland, who was with the couple at Frogmore Cottage after Archie was born, will be a frequent visitor, although her home will continue to be LA. The Sussexes' offices, where their private and press staff are based, are at Buckingham Palace, 25 miles away.
Maternity and paternity leave
Members of the royal family don't have fixed maternity and paternity leave, instead they work with staff to create a timetable allowing them to spend time with their newborn and return to duties when appropriate. Prince Harry's visit to The Netherlands to launch the one year countdown to The Invictus Games The Hague 2020 on May 9, when his son is three days old, reflects how important this cause is to him. However, his working timetable is likely to become quieter over the summer. The Duchess's leave will be some months, however, an aide said that "she may make some official appearances during this time". The Duchess could join royals for The Queen's official birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, on Saturday June 8. The couple are also expected to be photographed at a christening for their son, though this is not classed as an official appearance.
When Prince Harry was six months old, his parents Prince Charles and Princess Diana took him to Venice with brother Prince William on an official visit, and plans are in the works for Archie to carry out his first trip at a similar age. If this goes ahead, we could see the family travel to Africa in the autumn, although which country or countries is understood to still be under discussion. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took Prince George to Australia and New Zealand when he was almost nine months old and have since travelled with Prince George and Princess Charlotte to Canada, Germany and Poland. While Prince Harry has made it clear he hopes for a relatively "ordinary" upbringing for his child, as members of the royal family the Sussexes will participate in royal life. Calendar staples include visiting Balmoral over the summer and attending church on Christmas Day at Sandringham.
Both The Duke and Duchess have made it clear that using their profiles to make a difference is hugely important to them. A recently announced collaboration between Prince Harry and Oprah, co-creating a mental health documentary series, sets the tone for ambitious projects with a global reach. In the run-up to their son's birth, the Sussexes used their newly-launched Instagram account, @SussexRoyal, to mark Mental Health Awareness Month in the US and Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK by only following a small number of accounts doing work in this field. They posted: "Each month we will honour this same concept and change the accounts we solely follow based on a different theme or cause." The Duchess of Sussex is patron of four charities, two handed to her by The Queen, as well as vice president of The Queen's Commonwealth Trust. With Prince Harry as the Trust's president, who also holds the role of Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, the couple are expected to play a prominent role in the 53-member Commonwealth with a particular focus on young people.
Extended stay overseas
Looking further into the future, discussions have taken place about the Sussex family spending extended periods overseas, potentially in one of the Commonwealth countries in Africa. A palace source said this idea is still in a workshopping phase. Rather than be a permanent move, any stint abroad would likely follow a similar pattern to when then Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh spent time in Malta in the early years of their marriage.
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