Meghan Markle 'rainbow baby' Lilibet is sign of hope after miscarriage

Meghan Markle announced she is expecting her second baby with Prince Harry on Valentine's Day 2021.

The Duchess of Sussex, who was reportedly five months long at the time, revealed in November previous year that she has suffered a miscarriage after first born Archie.

In her New York Times article, the Duchess wrote: "I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second,' she wrote in a November op-ed entitled 'The Losses We Share'.

"Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband's hand. I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we'd heal.

"Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few."

She added: "In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning."

"Are we OK? We will be," concluded Meghan.

Over Meghan's pregnancy photo shoot, Sophie King, a midwife told Femail: "It's wonderful news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are expecting again – but as we know they sadly lost a baby last year, this celebration may feel bittersweet, while their pregnancy journey stirs up heart-breaking memories and complex emotions.  

"Any expectant or new parent may struggle with anxiety, but it can be hard for those who have lost babies to believe that won't happen again, or they may feel guilty for being excited about a new arrival while grieving a sibling.

She added: "Grief, pregnancy and parenting are all very tiring so the combination can be very challenging. Children born after loss are often called 'rainbow babies' to symbolise hope and light after a dark time, but it's important to remember that a rainbow doesn't erase the storm that came before it."