London - Prince Harry announced he will travel to the Netherlands next week – despite his pregnant wife being already overdue with their first baby on Wednesday night.
Buckingham Palace said on Wednesday that he would undertake an official visit to the country next Wednesday and Thursday.
He will carry out an engagement in Amsterdam followed by a trip to The Hague to launch the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, his Paralympic-style event for injured service personnel.
The Duchess of Sussex is expecting any day now, with sources telling the Mail that the baby was due last weekend.
It is understood that the Netherlands visit has been pencilled in since last year but aides had not announced it yet due to the potential clash with the birth. Sources have said the prince is ‘desperately keen’ to attend the Invictus launch.
But if Meghan hasn’t given birth by the middle of next week, or if the baby has only just been born, then he would reluctantly cancel. If the seventh in line to the throne does arrive before the weekend however, it is likely that Harry would go.
Meghan has her mother, Doria Ragland, staying with them at Frogmore House in Windsor, so will be in good hands if he does fly out. Friends are said to be queuing up to visit but may have to postpone due to what has been dubbed the ‘Sussex Standby’.