- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get asked in interviews and by fans when they're having kids.
- The decision to start a family — and the timing of it — should be allowed to remain private, even for royals.
In a BBC interview following their engagement announcement, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were already being questioned about starting a family.
"Children?" the interviewer asked.
"Not currently, no," Prince Harry joked.
He added, "I think you know, one step at a time, and hopefully we'll start a family in the near future."
That future doesn't seem to be near enough for some royal fans who continue to good-naturedly prod the couple about when they'll have kids. People reported that a 43-year-old Dublin woman asked Prince Harry, "My husband also has red hair and he gave me five children — when are you and Meghan going to get going?"
Known for having a good sense of humor, he reportedly laughed and said "Five children? Too many."
People's good intentions may be sincere when asking someone about their plans to have children. But the decision — and the timing of it — should be allowed to remain private, even for royals.
Public speculation about whether or not someone is pregnant often involves scrutiny of the person's body and relationship, if they're in one. Their post-pregnancy shape and parenting tactics also become conversation pieces.
The royal family is certainly familiar with such attention as public figures — Kate Middleton carried out royal engagements while pregnant and greeted photographers outside the hospital mere hours after all of her children were born with blown-out hair and in heels.
Still, people's family plans are deeply personal and might be determined by factors that they don't want to discuss, and asking about them can add unnecessary pressure. Maybe they want to have time to enjoy and build their relationship before bringing a tiny human who requires constant attention into the mix. Maybe they're struggling with fertility and require the help of a medical team to conceive. Perhaps some people are still deciding if they want to start a family at all.
Prince Harry and Markle shared their wedding with 29.2 million people. They've said that they want to have kids. They shouldn't have to field intrusive questions about when. What's the rush?
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