Who will Harry and Meghan choose as godparents?

Harry and Meghan welcomed a 7lb 3oz baby boy early on Monday morning and will, if they follow royal tradition, announce their first born’s godparents on the morning of his christening in a few months’ time.

With the duke and duchess keeping their birth plans and the names of their medical team private, the couple may also decide not to release details of those they select for the spiritual role.

The duke could pay tribute to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash when he was only 12, by asking relatives from the Spencer side of the family, perhaps one of his Spencer cousins – the children of Diana’s siblings Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Lady Jane Fellowes and Earl Spencer.

Harry and Meghan are also predicted to turn to some of their well-known friends, many of whom had VIP seats in the Quire of St George’s Chapel at the royal wedding last May, and whose children were their pageboys or bridesmaids.

While the tradition for royal babies used to be to select elderly or foreign relatives for the role, Harry and Meghan appear likely to follow in the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s footsteps and opt for mostly friends over family.

Royal infants usually have more than the standard three godparents.

Prince Louis has six, future king Prince George has seven and Princess Charlotte has five.

So who might be asked to be baby Sussex’s godparents?

– Jessica Mulroney

Meghan’s stylist and best friend is expected to play an important part in the baby’s life.

She supported Meghan in the difficult days leading up to the wedding amid the turmoil caused by the absence of her father, Thomas Markle.

Mrs Mulroney’s children – twin boys Brian and John and daughter Ivy – were pageboys and bridesmaid.

She is married to Ben Mulroney, son of former Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney.

– Benita Litt

The duchess’s close friend runs her own brand agency and helps others to start businesses.

Meghan has spent Christmas with the Litt family in the past.

She is godmother to Mrs Litt’s daughters Rylan and Remi, and also chose them to be her bridesmaids.

– Serena Williams

The tennis champion is said to have hosted Meghan’s lavish baby shower in the £57,400-a-night penthouse of the Mark Hotel in New York City.

The pair have been friends since 2010 when they met at a Super Bowl party.

Meghan wrote of Williams on her former lifestyle website The Tig: “She quickly became a confidante I would text when I was travelling, the friend I would rally around for her tennis matches, and the down-to-earth chick I was able to grab lunch with.”

– Amal Clooney

Hollywood star George Clooney, who shares a May 6 birthday with baby Sussex, has denied he will be a godfather, declaring: “No, I’m now a father of twins, I’ve got enough shit. Literally, literally shit.”

He recently claimed that Meghan was being “pursued and vilified” and compared her treatment to that of Diana, Princess of Wales.

But Meghan could ask the actor’s wife, human rights lawyer Amal, who attended her luxury baby shower.

The Sussexes have holidayed with the Clooneys in Italy.

– Oprah Winfrey

The chat show queen was seated in the exclusive Quire seats for the royal wedding, and Harry is collaborating with Oprah on a new documentary series on mental health.

Winfrey said she was overcome with emotion during the ceremony, telling British Vogue: “It left me feeling that anything is possible through the power of love.”

She invited Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland to her home ahead of the wedding.

– Abigail Spencer

Former actress Meghan has been friends with Spencer since they starred together in the US legal drama Suits.

Spencer also used to contribute to Meghan’s lifestyle site.

Misha Nonoo

The fashion designer is credited with introducing Harry to his future wife via a blind date.

She had a VIP seat at the royal wedding and used to be married to William and Harry’s friend Alexander Gilkes.

– Markus Anderson

Markus Anderson is Meghan’s best male friend, and the pair used to holiday together with Ms Nonoo.

Mr Anderson is director of members’ club Soho House where the couple’s blind date is said to have taken place in summer 2016.

“What would I do without you, my loving, supportive, and endlessly fun friend??” Meghan once posted about Mr Anderson.

– Nicholas van Cutsem

It is not just Meghan’s friends who are expected to get a look-in. The van Cutsems have been long-standing family pals of Harry, William and the Prince of Wales for many years.

Harry might pick Major Nicholas van Cutsem, whose daughter Florence was a bridesmaid at the royal wedding and is Harry’s goddaughter.

Maj van Cutsem is already a godfather to Prince Louis.

Harry could choose one of the other van Cutsem brothers – Edward, Hugh or William, who is one of Prince George’s godfathers.

– Tom Inskip

Tom “Skippy” Inskip has long been considered Harry’s wingman and was at his side during his partying days.

They were childhood friends at Eton and Harry and Meghan attended his wedding to Lara Hughes-Young in Jamaica in 2017.

– Guy Pelly

Dubbed the royal court jester for his wild ways, Guy Pelly, whose family are wealthy Kent landowners, has settled down in recent years, marrying American hotel heiress Elizabeth “Lizzy” Wilson.

He was often cited as a bad influence on the royal brothers in their youth, but was asked to be one of Louis’s godparents.

– Thomas or Charlie van Straubenzee

Harry and William have also been friends with the van Straubenzees for many years, so it is likely Thomas or his brother Charlie might be asked to be godfather.

Thomas van Straubenzee is already godfather to Princess Charlotte, and Harry was said to have been Charlie’s best man at his wedding to Daisy Jenks.

– Prince Seeiso of Lesotho

Prince Seeiso and Harry set up the charity Sentebale together to help impoverished Aids orphans in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho.

They have a strong bond and have been friends for 15 years after Seeiso invited Harry to spend a seminal two months in Lesotho during his gap year.

– Mark Dyer

Harry’s mentor has been a key father figure since childhood.

The former Welsh Guards officer, who was an equerry to the Prince of Wales, was tasked by Charles with keeping an eye on Harry in his youth.

They travelled together in Harry’s gap year and he helped arrange Harry’s stay in Lesotho.

His son Jasper – the duke’s godson – was one of Harry and Meghan’s pageboys.

– Jake Warren

Jake Warren is firm friends with Harry and is the son of the Queen’s bloodstock and racing adviser, John Warren.

His daughter Zalie was the youngest bridesmaid at the royal wedding and is another of Harry’s godchildren.

– Princess Eugenie

Harry and Meghan may opt to include a royal in the line-up, perhaps choosing the duke’s cousin, Princess Eugenie of York.

Harry and William used to spend skiing holidays with the Yorks in the 1990s, and Eugenie is said to have introduced Harry to his ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas.

Other potentials include Peter Phillips or Zara Tindall.

The duke is godfather to Zara’s youngest daughter Lena.

– Links to Diana, Princess of Wales

Harry may want to recognise bonds with friends of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

He invited Diana’s former flatmate, Carolyn Bartholomew, and one of her best friends, Julia Samuel, who is also a godmother to George, to his wedding.

Or perhaps he might choose someone from Diana’s Spencer family – possibly her sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale or Lady Jane Fellowes, or more likely a cousin from the Spencer side, such as Louis, Viscount Althorp, or Celia Woodhouse or George McCorquodale.

– Tiggy Pettifer

Harry’s much-loved former nanny Tiggy Legge Bourke, now Tiggy Pettifer, has played a significant role in his life.

She once described William and Harry as ”my babies”, and helped care for the princes following the death of their mother in 1997.