It’s a (royal) family of four! Meghan Markle has given birth to her second child with Prince Harry. The couple welcomed a daughter on Friday, June 4, in Santa Barbara, California, their press secretary announced in a statement.
“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,” the statement reads. “Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home.”
The statement goes on to explain that Lili is named after Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry’s grandmother, “whose family nickname is Lilibet.” Her middle name was chosen to honor Harry’s late mother, Diana, The Princess of Wales.
Photos of the newborn have not yet been shared.
The couple later took to their Archewell website to share their own message. “On June 4th, 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,” they wrote. “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
And while they know their new baby is cause for celebration around the world, they have asked that in lieu of gifts, friends and fans consider making charitable donations in Lili’s name. “For those inquiring on sending gifts, we would ask that you support or learn more about these organizations working for women and girls: Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED, or Myna Mahila Foundation,” a statement on the website reads.
The royal family is also “delighted” by the news. “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,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.
“We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili,” Prince William and Kate Middleton wrote on their official Instagram. “Congratulations to Harry, Meghan, and Archie.”
Prince Harry and Markle also have a 2-year-old son, Archie, who was born on May 6, 2019. “To have a boy then a girl — what more can you ask for?” Prince Harry said in an interview with Oprah earlier this year. The couple also revealed that they won’t be having any more children after the birth of their baby girl: “Two is it.”
Both Markle and Harry will be taking paternity leave to spend this special time at home with their family.
Congratulations to the The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on their newborn. Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor is Queen Elizabeth’s 11th great-grandchild and is eight in line for the succession to the throne.
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