Pregnant Meghan Markle snubs Lindo Wing birth because ‘she doesn’t want to do anything Kate Middleton has’
MEGHAN Markle wants to avoid giving birth in the Lindo Wing as she "doesn’t want to do anything that Kate Middleton has", a royal insider has revealed.
The source confirmed reports that the pregnant Duchess of Sussex, 37, wants to have her baby at Frimley Park in Surrey instead of the maternity wing at St Mary’s hospital, where Kate had her three children.
The news follows reports Meghan has been crowned "Duchess Difficult" by staff and has clashed with the Duchess of Cambridge, also 37, on a number of occasions.
Although St Mary's is an NHS-run hospital, Kate opted for the private wing - which has been compared to a five-star hotel, with new mums offered champagne and lavish menus - to give birth to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
However, Meghan is said to want to take a different path to her sister-in-law and wants to shun the private ward for the more-basic facilities at Frimley Park.
In contrast to the luxurious Lindo Wing, the maternity rooms at Frimley Park don't even have ensuite bathrooms.
A source said the Duchess of Sussex likes the fact the Surrey hospital's maternity ward is run by the NHS.
Kensington Palace was contacted by the Sun Online but declined to comment.
The Lindo Wing offers mums-to-be the chance to indulge in afternoon tea, lavish menus and bottomless champagne to celebrate the birth.
En suite bathrooms in the plush wing are stocked with toiletries like shampoo, conditioner and lotions, and the rooms come with satellite TV, WiFi, a sofa for guests and magazines.
There are 14 labour rooms available on the general ward, which saw 5,350 births from April 2016 to April 2017.
There are no deluxe birthing packages here, and rooms don't come with TVs or fancy wine menus.
Private postnatal rooms are available for £100-a-night - far less than the Lindo Wing's £7,500-a-night price tag - and they don't currently come with ensuite facilities.
Alternatively, Meghan could opt to stay in one of the four birthing rooms in The Mulberry Birth Centre, which is more of a “homely environment” where the focus is on “birth without medical intervention”.
The Mulberry Birth Centre does have mood-changing lights and a pool room available, should Meghan wish.
Active birthing is encouraged, and rooms come with a bed, chair, a bean bag and an exercise ball available to assist labour.
Meghan could bring her own music, as CD players and docking stations are available to help mums-to-be create a personal environment.
The Mulberry Centre was refurbished and opened in 2015, with Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, doing the honours after the hospital helped her have an emergency C-section with daughter Lady Louise.
The Surrey-based hospital is also located close to Frogmore Cottage, which is where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are hoping to relocate to from Kensington Palace.
The reports of tension between the two duchess came after the former American actress reportedly made Kate Middleton cry after Princess Charlotte's flower girl dress fitting.
There are also allegations Kate warned Meghan about speaking rudely to staff.
The Sun also revealed Harry and Meghan are moving out of Kensington Palace, where Kate and Wills live, and into a cottage in Windsor.
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Kensington Palace declined to comment.