Ever since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they were expecting a child in October, rumors have swirled about nearly every facet of Meghan Markle’s pregnancy.
The most prominent rumor? Many think the Duchess is pregnant with twins.
This rumor has held so much weight that popular betting site Paddy Power had to stop taking bets after an “unprecedented amount” of bets were placed, slashing the odds from 5/1 from odds of 10/1 at the end of last year. According to Paddy Power, insider information could have been leaked, skewing the odds.
The rumors began when Markle first showed off her royal baby bump in public. Even Prince Harry commented that it looks like the Duchess appears larger than normal for this time in her pregnancy. He’s been quoted saying “there’s a heavy baby in her” as recently as the Endeavour Fund Awards earlier this month.
But that’s not all. Markle’s age also suggests that she is more likely to have twins.
Markle will be 37 by the time she gives birth in late April. According to WebMD and other medical sources, the likelihood of having twins increases with age. This is primarily because of the hormonal changes that occur in women as they grow older.
Your body is thought to produce more than 50 different types of hormones at any given time, but the levels of each type will change with age. In women, these hormonal changes can result in a greater chance of giving birth to fraternal twins.
After all, it’s estimated that identical twin births will only occur in four out of every 1,000 live child births. Should the Duchess of Sussex give birth to twins, it is far more likely that she will be graced with fraternal twins than identical twins.
Reports also claim that Markle’s height suggests that the Duchess has a better ability to carry twins in the first place. Standing at 5’7″ which is taller than the average woman, she has a better chance at carrying twins to a successful delivery than shorter counterparts.
Unfortunately, the royal family has been hesitant to release any information to the public. Reports have it that the couple doesn’t even know the sex of the baby yet, hoping to keep it a surprise until the day of the birth.
Of course, this set the media into yet another frenzy as countless people began suggesting possible baby names for the newest member of the royal family. But it’s a tradition that the royals keep matters similar to these under lock and key.
Some of the most popular names among royal well-wishers include Alice, Victoria, James, and Albert.
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait until April to find out the answers fans and subjects so desperately crave.
