Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s billion-dollar royal baby
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s wedding in May brought in an enormous $223 million (£120m) for the UK economy.
And now, with their first-born child on the way, that number is expected to increase exponentially.
Baby Sussex is predicted to generate billions, as people flock to purchase fashion, nursery and infant items, according to the Centre for Retail Research.
It’s estimated that within the first two years, Baby Sussex will bring in close to $2.3 billion (£1.25b) for the British economy.
“Meghan is known to have a keen sense of style and she will want to follow a distinctive line in baby products, shawls, baskets, infant clothes and even what toys are being used by her child,” Professor Bamfield from the research centre told Hello! magazine.
“As the child gets older, what he or she wears will be adopted by many other parents, photographed thousands of times and shared with others across the world,” Prof Bramfield said.
According to research, the impact can last for up to 20 years with the most amount of funds being accumulated in the child’s first seven years.
Souvenirs are expected to kick start the influx of spending, with experts estimating that the memorabilia will generate $111 million (£60m).
Looking back at the birth of previous royal children, Prince Louis’ birth last year brought in $162 million (£87m), but that figure is nothing compared to Prince George, who in 2013 raked in a whopping $460 million (£247m) during his first nine weeks.
Princess Charlotte, despite being only three years old, has proven to be a style icon in her own right. The little royal has a higher influence on fashion than her older brother – who also happens to be the heir-to-the-throne according to Brand Finance.
In total, Charlotte has helped accumulate $5.2 billion (£3b) for the retail sector while George is believed to have an approximate influence of $4.2 billion (£2.4b).
Are you surprised after reading these insane numbers? Let us know in the comments below.