Next to looking at cute celebrity baby pictures, it’s always fun to gush over snaps of royals with a bun in the oven. Some people might think those of who follow royal pregnancies are strange for obsessing over their growing bumps, but to those people, we gleefully say, “La la la la, we can’t hear ya!” How can we not swoon? Just look at how much first-time mommy Princess Eugenie’s tummy has grown!
The truth is, most of us get excited about a coming baby — any coming baby — whether the pregnant person is in our family, or famous. That’s because a growing baby bump is the most life-affirming thing ever. When it comes to royal women, baby bump news has always been up for public consumption. After all, the whole future of a monarchy literally depends on new babies, and everyone — from the Queen to royal watchers — wait for news with bated breath.
It’s no wonder that as soon as Kate Middleton and Prince William, and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were married, our questions shifted from, “Who will design her dress?” to “When will we see the first signs of a pregnancy?”
Baby bumps make for some entertaining and heartwarming photos — from pics of Princess Diana and others dozing off at events, thanks to pregnancy exhaustion, to the Duchess of Sussex and Sarah Ferguson doing decidedly different pregnancy looks. So which are our favorite baby bump photos? Here’s a look at 21 of the most memorable royal baby bumps to date.
Prince Louis Bump
Anyone could be forgiven for not noticing that Kate was pregnant in this picture taken in November 2017. (Her Prince Louis bump is barely there.) Those of us who follow the duchess’ every move squealed in delight, because we knew that this casual peek at the belly meant that we would soon be getting cute pictures of the newest Cambridge.
Nature mom
Love, love, love this shot of Meghan looking quite at home among some giant trees in New Zealand, which are reminiscent of the majestic redwoods of her native California. It looks so personal, like we just came across this picture on her phone (yes, we’re nosy). In fact, it was published in her and Harry’s Instagram, where we learned that he took the pic. No wonder she looks so relaxed.
Napping in Public
Pregnancy is exhausting! We’re never going to be the ones to chastise a mom-to-be — especially a first-timer — for dozing off in the middle of a meeting. That includes Kate Middleton, who was, after all, forced to go to the world’s most boring event while pregnant with Prince George: a cruise ship christening. Talk about a chore.
Expecting No. 3
We love a good picture of Queen Elizabeth with her corgis — she’s always so happy around them — but there’s a bonus presence in this picture, and it’s the monarch’s baby bump, tucked inside an extra large coat. This shot is from 1960, when Queen Elizabeth was about to give birth to Prince Andrew. (Fun fact: That’s Prince Charles behind her.)
A Quiet Moment
Meghan Markle was just a few months pregnant when she and Harry went on an official visit of Morocco. Meghan brought out some particularly spectacular outfits on the tour —Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Dior — but we love this simple, casual look and the way it makes her look so relaxed and content (and comfy). She and Harry look like they’re quietly planning their future with baby Archie.
Stepping Out
Once Eugenie made her pregnancy announcement, it was only a matter of time before photographers captured the first images of her baby bump. Just five days later, she was snapped walking down the street with her brother-in-law and a friend, wearing a roomy shift with a drawstring belt on top of the belly.
'Looking Very Pregnant Today'
After the first few months of pregnancy, Meghan seemed to feel totally comfortable, and it shows in the glow on her face, shiny, full hair, and big smile. During an official outing, the duchess looks perfectly content, and was even overheard telling someone that she was “looking very pregnant today.” Yes, but also very happy.
So Cute!
Nothing brings out the “oohs and aahs” faster than a pregnant woman being in the same vicinity as an actual baby. Add flowers to the equation, and it’s all so sweet. Wonder what Diana and the parents are talking about? Our guess is that they’re probably giving her advice for the upcoming sleepless nights.
Impressive Bump Moment
Would we get on a horse at three months pregnant? Nope, but then again, we’re not champion equestrians, and Zara Tindall, the Queen’s granddaughter from Princess Anne, sure is. So this is Zara, at about three months pregnant in August 2013, riding in a competition. She had her daughter Mia Grace in January 2014. Super impressive.
Good Angle
Some women have big bellies from day one, and others need a magnifying glass to find their own bellies. When Kate Middleton was pregnant with Prince George, she didn’t show for the longest time. In fact, this picture was taken in late April — when she was already six months along — and that’s when she finally grew a baby bump that needed maternity wear. Fans who were patiently waiting the next heir to the throne cheered.
The Slightest Bump
Could this be a baby bump picture? When Princess Eugenie and her husband announced her pregnancy on Instagram on September 25, they said that the baby is due in early 2021. That means that this series of shots of the couple doing community work at the Salvation Army could have been taken in the very early stages of the pregnancy.
Proud Look
This just the dreamiest pregnancy pic ever. Meghan looks beautiful in her Oscar de la Renta bird print dress, but what makes this picture extra special is Harry’s staring at Meghan’s burgeoning belly. This day actually made headlines, because Meghan was caught on video reacting to baby Archie giving her quite a kick.
So sweet!
A Romantic Take
Aaah, this is such a lovely picture! For all the shapeless maternity frocks that Princess Diana wore throughout her pregnancies, she also figured out how to rock the baby bump rather than hide it — at least for evening outings. An example is this picture, in which she’s wearing a her signature ruffled neckline on a taffeta gown with an empire waist. It’s a far cry from the current trend to highlight bellies with fitted dresses, but it beats a muumuu!
Homage to Mom-in-Law
This shot of Meghan’s baby bump took our breath away when we first saw it, and still leaves us a bit misty-eyed when we come across it. That’s because the color combination that Meghan is wearing is a direct reference to the mother-in-law she never met but who wore purple and red several times: Princess Diana. It was a sweet callback during her pregnancy.
Sharing Pregnancy Deets
When Kate was pregnant with Princess Charlotte, she visited a kids’ center and stopped to speak to one wheelchair-using child. She was overhead talking about how her pregnancy was going, and especially about how active the baby was. “I can feel it kicking right now,” she told the girl, as she poked at her belly, and that’s when photographers snapped away. Super cute.
No Stopping Kate
Pictures like this one are a big part of the reason so many people love Kate so dang much. The chick may be a duchess and a future queen, but she’s super fun and relatable. Here she is, pregnant with Princess Charlotte but hitting the ice to play hockey while sporting one of her signature dainty baby bumps.
So Relatable
For us, Zara Tindall is “I don’t give a flip” mom goals. Raised by a no-nonsense mom (Princess Anne), who rejected a princess title for Zara, she lives her life however she likes — including when she’s pregnant. Here she is during her second pregnancy, in 2018, wearing a big old rain coat over her huge belly and calling it a day. Don’t know about y’all, but we love the freedom.
First time
Diana was just 21 when she was pregnant with and gave birth to her first child, Prince Wiliam. That’s mind-blowing to many of us now, and honestly, it probably made fans everywhere feel especially protective of her. Diana’s pregnancy was beyond huge news, and everyone waited breathlessly for the first pictures of her belly. What they often got was this, a billowing, old-school maternity dress that hid all but the slightest hint of a curve.
Still adorable!
Little Bit of Goth
Here’s a heartwarming reminder that there have always been rebels within the royal family. In 1988, Sarah, Duchess of York, was pregnant with Princess Beatrice, but wasn’t about to hit the red carpet wearing a loose maternity dress of the type that women wore back in the day. Instead, she went for a proto-Goth gown with a slightly raised waistline that made room for her growing belly.
Growing Every Day
We hope Eugenie is not too bothered by street shots of her, because, honestly, we’re loving her pregnancy style — which is comfy and pretty at the same time. It’s lovely to see her out and about doing her while carrying a pretty sizable bundle. We’re enjoying her pregnancy journey so much already, because she’s also one of the more down-to-Earth royals.
