Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shared the news that they were expecting a baby yesterday and some people have criticised the timing of their announcement.
Kensington Palace shared the couple’s news yesterday morning, October 15, and this date is also International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
This decision has been labelled as insensitive and a number of social media users have said that some research should have been undertaken in advance of the decision.
It’s thought that the announcement was made in order to coincide with the start of the royal tour of Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, and Fiji because there has been a lot of speculation suggesting former Suits actress Meghan is pregnant and presumably, they wanted to avoid this.
However, people have suggested that they could have waited rather than choose October 15 to break their baby news.
But really how insensitive was it for Harry and Meghan to announce their pregnancy on baby/infant loss awareness day?
— sam (@samtylerx_) October 16, 2018
Very insensitive of Harry & Meghan to announce her pregnancy today #BabyLossAwarenessDay
— amy ? (@miss__amy_) October 15, 2018
Well done Meghan & Harry ?announcing your pregnancy on baby loss awareness day/week. Insensitive only a little.
— Imelda South (@Mellysouth) October 15, 2018
I'm so pleased Harry & Meghan didn't do something insensitive like announce the pregnancy at the royal wedding, and chose to announce it on #PregnancyandInfantLoss remembrance day instead #royalbaby
— MelBellySmell (@Mrs_B73) October 15, 2018
Ruth Bender Atik is the national director of the Miscarriage Association in the UK and she shared her thoughts on the royal baby announcement saying that she believed the couple simply weren’t aware of the significance of the date.
Speaking to The Independent, she said:
“I think it is unfortunate timing but I do not think it is insensitive timing because I imagine that they simply did not know.
“I can absolutely understand that people are upset because this is a time to remember a baby’s loss rather than welcome a baby that is coming”.