As first-time parents-to-be, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have plenty to worry about already -- but thanks to the US tax system, there could be one more thing keeping Harry and Meghan and their new baby awake at night.

 

即将初为人父人母的哈里王子和梅根王妃本来就有一大堆要担忧的事情，但是如今又有一件事让他们和腹中宝宝夜不能寐了，这要感谢美国的税收制度。
 

 

Since the royal couple announced their pregnancy last October, all eyes have been on Meghan and her emerging bump -- and it seems even the palace accountants are taking interest.

 

That's because as US citizens, both Meghan and her baby -- who will be seventh in line to the British throne -- will be liable to pay US taxes, which could potentially open up the notoriously private royal accounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

 

"The United States has -- unique among nations -- a citizenship-based taxation (system), so as long as Meghan is a citizen of the United States she is taxed," explained David Treitel, the founder of American Tax Returns Ltd., which provides taxation advice to US expats.

 

The law means US tax inspectors could scrutinize Harry and Meghan's royal wealth, and the income of their newborn child.

 

"The baby is being born to a United States citizen and that baby, little boy or girl, who comes along in the next few weeks, will automatically be a citizen of the United States simply because her mother is," Treitel told CNN. "There is no other precedent of anybody else in the Royal Family who's been American. So nobody else has ever faced this circumstance before."

 

As a US citizen, regardless of where she lives, Meghan will be obliged to file a US tax return and to report any foreign accounts, assets over $200,000 and gifts valued more than $15,797 "regardless of whether it is actually in your possession," according to the IRS.