Royal baby: Did Meghan Markle feel 'pressure' to emulate Kate Middleton?

Meghan Markle is doing things her own way when it comes to her first child, and palace officials are "delighted" by it.

In a severe change from Kate Middleton and Prince William's very public welcoming of all three of their children, who all made their debuts on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital the days they were born, Meghan and Harry recently announced that they'll be keeping their plans private.

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The couple will likely forgo the Lindo Wing for a hospital closer to their newly-renovated home, Frogmore Cottage, at Windsor Castle, which is almost 30 miles from the ultra-luxe maternity ward where Princess Diana also welcomed Prince William and Prince Harry.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby," read a statement from Kensington Palace last week. "Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private."

"The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family," it finished.

"It's completely understandable," royal author Ingrid Seward told People of Meghan and Harry's decision. "The Lindo Wing has become too much of a circus."

The couple also won't be revealing their upcoming child to the world in the hours after its birth like Kate and William did. They'll likely wait at least several days before doing so, when they'll release photos from a private photo shoot at Windsor when both parents are ready to pose for them.

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Meghan's fresh and private approach to welcoming a royal baby has gone over very well with palace staff, People's Simon Perry reports.

"People are delighted that Meghan is doing things differently," Seward added. "She was under no pressure to do the same [as Kate]."

Consider it just another chapter in the Meghan and Kate chronicles, which started even before they officially became sisters-in-law when Meghan married Harry last May. The two have been compared to one another constantly, with countless reports of a feud between them allegedly dividing the royal family. In recent months, though, the pair has reportedly made up and has been visibly more friendly with one another during official public outings.

Meghan and Harry are expected to welcome their first child together in late April or early May.