Kate Livingstone: Oh baby - it’s going to change your lives

Apparently a nanny is not in the plans ... yet! Just you wait for a few sleepless nights when the pair have to get up for some event where they meet the great and the good in some part of the diminishing empire and I think a nanny might soon be on the books.

But it seems shy, smiling Doria, who doesn’t seem to put a foot wrong (unlike her ex-husband but let’s not go there) is going to step into the breech and help out with the little bundle of joy in the early days.

Not that I fear she’ll have to bother about rustling up a casserole for the new parents or doing the constant round of washing little white things – how do babies manage to get so many soiled garments? No there is bound to be those in paid employ to do that.

Granny Doria is going to be there to help her daughter and son-in-law with first few weeks when their world ends up on its head as this little bundle changes their lives for ever.

But grandmother on hand all the time? Not a good move I think.

The new parents definitely need to have time together with their baby to discover the joy and reality of no longer being a couple but a family.

I remember when Emma had Jack as a proud granny – and I don’t think there has ever been a prouder one! – I took some time off work to ‘lend a hand’ when my son-in-law went back to work after his paternity leave.

But I definitely made sure that when he walked through the door at night, I had my coat on ready to go home and leave them in peace.

The washing and ironing had been done, dinner was cooking, and mum and baby were both relaxing.

My job for the day was over.

I hope that Doria bears this in mind when her first grandchild comes along. You can spoil them all you want when they are a bit older but you have to let mum and dad bond with their little one – on their own.

The joy of grandchildren is that you can love them to bits, spoil them rotten and then hand them back!

And I’m not sure if Meghan or Prince Harry are the type to take advice but my words of wisdom for the soon-to-be royal parents – as long as you remember to feed one end and clean the other, you’ll do 
okay!