Queen, William and Kate Middleton say they are ‘delighted’ after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcome baby Lilibet
THE QUEEN, Prince William, and Kate Middleton have congratulated Meghan and Harry on the birth of their daughter, Lilibet Diana.
Her Majesty and the royals tonight said they were "delighted" at the news and made a touching tribute to the couple and their baby girl - who has been named in the Queen's honour.
🔵 Read our Meghan and Harry live blog for the latest updates
Prince William and Kate Middleton also said that they have been informed - and are delighted for Meghan and Harry.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “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.”
This comes after Prince Harry, who stepped down from Royal duties last March, accused the Firm of “neglect” and claimed that his father Prince Charles made him “suffer” as a child.
During the shocking Oprah interview, Harry and Meghan accused a senior member of the Firm of being “racist” during an hour-long special with Oprah Winfrey in March.
What we know so far:
- Meghan and Harry have given birth to a baby girl called Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor in a touching nod to the Queen
- She was born at hospital in Santa Barbara on Friday morning weighing 7lbs 11oz
- Lili and Meghan are "healthy and well" and "settling in at home"
- Meghan and Harry have asked people to support organisations working for women and girls instead of giving a present
Prime Minister Boris Johnson also sent his well wishes to the Sussexes tonight, writing: "Many congratulations to The Duke & Duchess of Sussex on the birth of their daughter."
Meghan and Harry have not yet released a picture of their darling daughter.
The Sussexes' daughter has been named Lilibet after the family nickname for the Queen, the baby’s great-grandmother.
And her middle name was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, the Princess of Wales, the couple said.
This comes after it was previously reported Meghan was planning a home birth at her luxury LA mansion.
The Duchess of Sussex was initially said to be planning to deliver her daughter at home after giving birth to Archie in Portland Hospital, London, in 2019.
But their daughter was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital instead - with Meghan seemingly ditching the idea to have a home birth.
The new arrival is the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild, joining big brother Archie and Prince William's kids George, Charlotte and Louis
Lilibet is also Prince Charles’ fifth grandchild and makes Archie, who turned two in May, a big brother for the first time.
Harry and Meghan’s only daughter is the eighth-in-line to the throne - and the most senior royal in the current line of succession to be born overseas.
The baby is not entitled, at this stage, to be an HRH nor a princess due to rules set out more than 100 years ago by George V.
She can, however, become a Lady - although Harry and Meghan will likely style their second-born a Miss, as they did with Master Archie, using the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Duke and Duchess have previously made no secret of their desire for a second child but also said two is their limit for environmental reasons.
They excitedly revealed they were having a daughter during their Oprah interview in March, with Harry telling the talk show host the gender.
When Oprah asked Harry how he felt learning he would have a daughter, he gushed: “Amazing. Just grateful.
“To have any child, any one or any two, would have been amazing. But to have a boy and then a girl, what more can you ask for. We’ve got our family—the four of us and our two dogs.”
The announcement came almost a year after Meghan revealed the "unbearable grief" she and Harry had suffered when she had a miscarriage last July.
The Duchess of Sussex said she had decided to speak out about her loss because miscarriage was still a taboo subject which led to a "cycle of solitary mourning".And the couple, who currently live with two-year-old son Archie in Santa Barbara, California, later announced on Valentines Day that they were expecting their second child.
They shared a black and white picture of themselves under a tree, with a shoeless Harry resting his hand on Meghan's head as she cradled her bump.
Delivering the news, the proud parents said: “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother.”
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