The new royal baby: What 7 pounds means in American dollars

Babies are bundles of joy. Precious gifts. Tremendous responsibilities. And expensive, right?

Wait ’til you see the numbers related to the new Royal baby Sussex, just born to Meghan Markle and England’s Prince Harry. He’s a healthy 7 pounds, 3 ounces (the new baby – not Harry).

Mon dieu! No, that’s not right … Dios mio! No … ah, here it is …

Blimey!

Money Magazine just published a terrific article all about the new Royal baby by the financial numbers. Here are some of the highlights:

• $88 billion: Royal family worth, including their assets and the economic power they wield (in modern parlance, they’re influencers, y’all)
• $1.5 billion: Amount the new baby could boost baby product spending over the next two years
• $3.6 billion and $5 billion: Value of the new baby’s young cousins Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the British economy, respectively
• $1 million: CNN’s 2013 estimate of the cost of Prince George’s upbringing
• $300,000: Cost to raise a non-royal child in the UK
• 85 cents: Amount each British taxpayer contributes annually toward Royal travel, staff salaries, castle upkeep, etc.
• $1.3 million: The amount wagered on new Royal baby-related bets (how much did you win?)
• $45: Cost of the pictured Royal baby hoodie at Teepublic

One upside for Americans: The new Royal baby, like his mum, is an American citizen, so he will be joining us in paying taxes to Uncle Sam.

Read the complete Money article here.

In the meantime, perhaps you’re thinking about sending a gift. CNN published this article with a short list of presents fit for royal tykes, including a $1300 “smart” bassinet by Snoo (it sounds pricey, but the shipping – and remember, we’re talking about sending this to England – is free).

—Dale Roe