Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan want another baby by next year. This contemporary couple would love for Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor to have a little brother or sister of his own to play with around the palace.

A source exclusively revealed to Us Weekly that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex feel that their family is the number one priority. After a fairy tale wedding in May 2018, the palace announced that Meghan was expecting five months later. Little Archie quickly captured the hearts of his British subjects, as well as his mother’s fans in her native United States. Sure, Archie has plenty of cousins to play with as he gets older. There’s Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to name a few. However, since Prince Harry and Meghan moved to Frogmore Cottage on the grounds of Windsor Castle, they may be concerned that their son needs friends a little closer to home.

The new parents have gushed about their baby in the months since his birth. On a recent trip to Africa, Archie was introduced to internationally renowned clergyman Desmond Tutu. Duchess Meghan spoke about her son’s ease during the trip. “He has the sweetest temperament,” she said. “He’s really calm. … It’s been a special couple of days.”

The heir and the spare: That’s what William and Harry were called when they were kids. In the world of the Royals, members closest to the crown typically have children in pairs, in the event that one of the offspring is unable to fulfill his or her duties. Think back to the abdication of the throne by King Edward VIII in 1931. Were it not for his brother Bertie (later crowned King George VI), the monarchy might have struggled to find the right leader to carry on the line. Although Archie is currently 7th in line for the crown, it’s still custom for him to have a sibling who can assist with royal duties as they get older.

It’s not a surprise that Harry and Meghan would want to give their son a sibling. Archie is a beautiful little boy. He would thrive as the older sibling to another little boy or girl. Both Meghan and Harry seem to have adapted to parenthood quite well. In nearly every photo with his son, Harry seems to dote on him; Meghan, too. She beams each time her son is in her arms. Now, given Meghan’s advanced maternal age (she’s currently 38), this couple is on the clock. True, she’s not old, but in terms of pregnancy, waiting too long might make it difficult to conceive. That’s why the couple is smart to take time to get to know their first son. That’s an experience that a parent never gets again.

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Source: Us Weekly