Meghan Markle, Prince Harry to take 'time off' after 'home birth' of baby girl

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle both plan to "take leave" and spend more time as a family of four after their baby girl arrives via home birth in the summertime.

A source claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex plan to take both paternity and maternity leave so they can spend quality time as a family. They both agreed to have "some proper time off" so they can not only look after their baby girl and their son Archie but also spend quality time together.

"It will be the summer and they want to make sure they both take their leave so they have some real quality time together once the baby arrives," a source close to the couple told Vanity Fair.

Meghan Markle was not fully able to enjoy her maternity leave while pregnant and after she gave birth to Archie. She was hard at work as a guest editor for British Vogue's "Changemakers" edition. She also designed the capsule collection for the Smart Works charity. Likewise, Prince Harry's paternity leave was cut short because he had to travel to the Netherlands for a royal engagement.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly plan to welcome their baby girl at their plush home in Montecito, California. They want to deliver her via home birth as what they initially planned to do with Archie had he not arrived a week overdue.

They had plans to deliver their son in a birthing pool at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor with the aid of an all-female midwife team. Perhaps they will go the same route again as a source told Page Six that their $14.5 million Montecito estate provides a "beautiful setting to give birth to a baby girl."

"Meghan's plan was to have a home birth with Archie, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans. In the end, her doctors advised her to go to hospital and all she was interested in was about delivering Archie safely," the source recalled.

If their plan goes awry again, then the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can deliver the baby at one of the best hospitals in America. Since they live in California, they can rely on the services of the Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can also choose not to announce the birth of their baby girl now that they do not have to adhere to royal protocol.