Prince Harry and his new wife Meghan have launched their first official overseas tour by announcing they're expecting a baby.
Hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Australia, Kensington Palace tweeted the announcement on Monday evening.
"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the spring of 2019."
The palace said the couple had "appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public."
The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are said to be "delighted" for the couple were married at Windsor Castle in May.
Doria Ragland, the mother of the duchess, is "very happy about this lovely news" and "looks forward to welcoming her first grandchild".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted on Monday evening: "What fantastic news! Australia is thrilled for you both. Looking forward to sharing in the joy during your stay down under."
The baby will be seventh in line to the throne, and the Queen's eighth great-grandchild.
He or she will also be a first cousin of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
But the baby will not be a prince or a princess unless the Queen steps in to issue a Letters Patent ahead of the birth.
Speculation grew that Meghan was expecting when she wore a loose fitting Givenchy coat to Princess Eugenie's wedding on Friday.
Both Harry and Meghan have spoken openly about wanting to start a family.
The topic cropped up in their engagement interview, with Harry, saying: "Hopefully we'll start a family in the near future."
Even the duchess's father Thomas Markle, whom she is believed not to have spoken to since her wedding, said he expected children soon.
He told ITV's Good Morning Britain in an interview a month after the duke and duchess married: "She's wanted children for a long time and when she met Harry and she spoke about how much she loves him, there's got to be a child in the making, somewhere soon."
The duchess found fame played Rachel Zane in the US legal drama Suits.
Harry, 34, and 37-year-old Meghan became engaged following a whirlwind 16-month romance after going on a blind date in London.
The prince has told how "all the stars were aligned" when they met.
"This beautiful woman just sort of literally tripped and fell into my life, I fell into her life," he said when their engagement was announced last November.
The duke and duchess are at the start of a 16-day visit to Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand.
While in Australia the couple will watch the Invictus Games and visit Sydney's Taronga Zoo and the rural Flying Doctor service.
Australian Associated Press
