The Duchess of Sussex has given birth to her daughter, welcoming her baby girl on Friday 4 June.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan confirmed on Sunday, saying: “It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world.
“Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA.
“She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well and settling in at home.
“Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.
“This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your In a personal statement on the couple’s website, Archewell, Harry and Meghan also said: “On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
And in a royal first, it’s been confirmed by the Sussexes’ term that the Duke and Duchess are on parental leave, adding: “Archewell will continue to do important work and publish stories on the site. We look forward to seeing you!”
The couple has asked those who wish to send gifts, to instead support or learn more about organisations working for women and girls including Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED or Myna Mahila Foundation.
The tot is the Queen‘s 11th great-grandchild and is the fifth grandchild for the Prince of Wales.
The Queen, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge all released messages of congratulation on social media on Sunday evening.
Earlier in the day, Buckingham Palace reacted to the news in a statement, saying: “The Queen, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, and The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been informed and are delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
Harry and Meghan first confirmed the pregnancy with a stunning black and white photograph on Valentine’s Day, taken remotely by their friend Misan Harriman.
It showed the Duchess with her head in her husband’s lap as she cradled her baby bump.
The Sussexes stepped back from their role as senior royals in March 2020 and now live in Montecito, Santa Barbara with their eldest child Archie. warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family.”
Harry and Meghan’s daughter is eighth in line to the throne behind her big brother Archie. She is not expected to carry out royal duties and will move further down in the line of succession when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge‘s children grow up and have families of their own.
Princess Eugenie, who welcomed her first child, August, in February, is now 11th in line to the throne, meaning her son is now 12th.
Mike and Zara Tindall‘s eldest daughter Mia, seven, moves out of the top 20 for the first time to 21st in line.
As Harry and Meghan’s daughter was born in the US, she is entitled to American citizenship as an automatic right. The baby will also automatically be a British citizen because of Harry’s citizenship.
Little Lili is the first of the Queen’s great-grandchildren to be born outside the UK, not to mention the first royal baby who has had the honour of sharing their first name with her Majesty. Her cousin, Princess Charlotte, has Elizabeth as the first of her middle names, however, with Diana as her second.
