Will Meghan Markle raise baby Archie as a VEGAN?

Plant-based royal! - by April Glover

Meghan Markle has already snubbed many royal traditions in favour of her free-spirited, feminist ways.

But now rumours are now flying that the 37-year-old Duchess and her husband Prince Harry will raise baby Archie Harrison as a vegan.

Will Meghan Markle raise baby Archie as a VEGAN?

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Meghan reportedly eats a plant-based diet throughout the week and has encouraged Prince Harry to eat less meat and more fruit and vegetables.

According to a source close to the royal family, Queen Elizabeth II is unimpressed by Meghan's 'new age' lifestyle choices, which includes her stance against hunting and plant-based diet.

'Bringing the baby up as a vegan simply won’t be tolerated by the monarch,' the source told the New York Post.

But Meghan is no stranger to bucking the royal trend - even opting for a home birth before Archie was born and choosing not to pose outside hospital with her newborn.

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Is a vegan diet safe for babies?

For the first four to six months of his life, baby Archie will survive on breastmilk or formula alone.

But an all-vegan diet during early childhood could pose some risks for the royal bub, who is seventh in line to the throne.

'A vegan diet can be a challenge for babies, and they may not get adequate protein, iron, calcium, zinc, iodine, and vitamins B12 and D,' dietitian Eliza Savage told Women's Health.

'It can be a hard for a parent to get all these essential vitamins and minerals into their child’s diet, especially if they're a picky eater.'

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Vegan diets also tend to be much higher in fibre, which can be tough on a baby's digestive system.

However, once a child is old enough to make their own ethical decisions, there is nothing stopping them from consuming a healthy vegan diet.

If Meghan opts for a vegan diet for baby Archie, it is unlikely anyone will know outside the walls of Kensington Palace.

April Glover