Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have welcomed a daughter, with her name honouring Princess Diana and the Queen.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they’ve named their baby girl Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. In a statement, the couple said, “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 7lbs 11oz (3.5kg). 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,” the couple continued. “Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family.”
Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie on the arrival of baby Lilibet Diana 🎊
Wishing them all well at this special time. pic.twitter.com/ucJZIm2kqH
— The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) June 6, 2021
The couple also added a personal message on their Archewell website: “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. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
The Royal family has taken to social media to congratulate Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, on their happy news, including Harry’s father Prince Charles, and brother Prince William.
We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili.
Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie.
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) June 6, 2021
Little Lili is a sister for Archie, who turned two in May. The couple announced they were expecting their second baby on Valentine’s Day this year.
“We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother,” the spokesperson for the couple said at the time. “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”
It came exactly 37 years after Princess Diana announced she was pregnant with Prince Harry, on Valentine’s Day in 1984. The couple’s announcement included a sweet black and white photograph of Prince Harry and Meghan holding her baby bump. The photo was taken by long-time friend and photographer Misan Harriman.
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The announcement was the latest in a succession of Royal baby news with Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank welcoming a baby boy.
The Duke and Duchess moved to California in January last year after stepping back from their royal duties.
Last year Meghan revealed she suffered a miscarriage, detailing her devastation in an opinion piece. She opened up about her journey in a bid to help others with their healing process. “Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” she wrote. “In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from a miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.
“Some have bravely shared their stories; they have opened the door, knowing that when one person speaks truth, it gives license for all of us to do the same. We have learned that when people ask how any of us are doing, and when they really listen to the answer, with an open heart and mind, the load of grief often becomes lighter — for all of us. In being invited to share our pain, together we take the first steps toward healing.”
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Meghan Markle reveals heartbreaking miscarriage
NOVEMBER 25, 2020
Meghan Markle has revealed she suffered the ‘almost unbearable grief’ of a miscarriage, laying bare her raw emotions in a bid to shake the stigma of pregnancy loss.
The 39-year-old Duchess of Sussex penned an opinion piece for the New York Times, detailing how she and Prince Harry went through the devastation of losing their second baby last year.
“It was a July morning that began as ordinarily as any other day,” Meghan wrote. “Make breakfast. Feed the dogs. Take vitamins. Find that missing sock. Pick up the rogue crayon that rolled under the table. Throw my hair in a ponytail before getting my son from his crib.
“After changing his diaper, I felt a sharp cramp. I dropped to the floor with him in my arms, humming a lullaby to keep us both calm, the cheerful tune a stark contrast to my sense that something was not right.
“I knew, as I clutched my firstborn child, that I was losing my second.
“Hours later, I lay in a hospital bed, holding my husband’s hand. I felt the clamminess of his palm and kissed his knuckles, wet from both our tears. Staring at the cold white walls, my eyes glazed over. I tried to imagine how we’d heal.”
Meghan explains how, at the end of the couple’s tour of South Africa last year, she was exhausted, breastfeeding and trying to keep a brave face after her loss, under a very public gaze.
“‘Are you OK?’ a journalist asked me. I answered him honestly, not knowing that what I said would resonate with so many — new mums and older ones, and anyone who had, in their own way, been silently suffering. My off-the-cuff reply seemed to give people permission to speak their truth. But it wasn’t responding honestly that helped me most, it was the question itself.
“‘Thank you for asking,’ I said. ‘Not many people have asked if I’m OK.'”
Meghan explains that opening up conversations is a huge step in the healing process.
“Sitting in a hospital bed, watching my husband’s heartbreak as he tried to hold the shattered pieces of mine, I realised that the only way to begin to heal is to first ask, ‘Are you OK?’
“Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few. In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from a miscarriage. Yet despite the staggering commonality of this pain, the conversation remains taboo, riddled with (unwarranted) shame, and perpetuating a cycle of solitary mourning.
“Some have bravely shared their stories; they have opened the door, knowing that when one person speaks truth, it gives license for all of us to do the same. We have learned that when people ask how any of us are doing, and when they really listen to the answer, with an open heart and mind, the load of grief often becomes lighter — for all of us. In being invited to share our pain, together we take the first steps toward healing.”
Meghan’s powerful essay echoes the sentiments shared by Chrissy Teigen, who recently opened up about losing her third baby at 20 weeks.
If you need support please contact Sands Miscarriage, Stillbirth & Newborn Death Support via 1300 072 637.
First photos: Meet Harry and Meghan’s baby boy
MAY 08, 2019
The Duke and Duchess, Harry and Meghan, have introduced their brand new baby boy to the world, and he’s just the sweetest little Royal.
It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours for the new parents, with Meghan giving birth to their son at 5.26am on May 6, 2019. The youngest royal was a ‘little’ overdue and weighed in at 7lbs. 3oz.
New mum Meghan said her son has ‘the sweetest temperament in the world’ and that she has the ‘two best guys in the world’. We’re totally gushing! She added, “He’s just been the dream so it’s been a special couple of days.”
“Parenting is amazing,” Harry added. “It’s only been two and a half days, three days, but we’re just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy.”
Just hours after the birth Harry gushed about his new son and his wife, and the world swooned. “It’s been the most amazing experience. We are both absolutely thrilled and grateful to the support from everybody out there,” he said. “It’s absolutely incredible and I’m so incredibly proud of my wife.” Harry, who was present for the birth, said his son is, “absolutely to die for…I’m absolutely over the moon”.
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcome royal baby
MAY 07, 2019
And baby makes three. The wait is finally over and the royal baby is here, with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry welcoming a baby boy.
The Sussex Royal Instagram account announced that the Duchess of Sussex delivered her son in the early hours of May 6, 2019. The newest member of the royal family weighs 7lbs. 3oz. and both mum and bub are doing well.
“The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives. More details will be shared in the forthcoming days,” the official notice explained.
Prince Harry spoke from Windsor, saying, “I’m very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy this morning, a very healthy baby boy.
“It’s been the most amazing experience. We are both absolutely thrilled and grateful to the support from everybody out there.”
He explained they are still thinking about names, and that the new parents will show off their bub in two days.
“It’s absolutely incredible and I’m so incredibly proud of my wife.” Harry, who was present for the birth, said his son is, “absolutely to die for…I’m absolutely over the moon”.
The official Twitter account of The Royal Family revealed that the Queen is ‘delighted’ with the news.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer have been informed and are delighted with the news.
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2019
It’s also been revealed Meghan’s mum is with the couple, and is ‘overjoyed’. Naaw!
The Duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild, is with Their Royal Highnesses at Frogmore Cottage.
Her Royal Highness and the baby are both doing well.— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2019
The arrival of their first little bundle of joy is the latest chapter in a royal love story that’s captured imaginations the world over. After being set up on their first date in 2016, the pair has been almost inseparable, becoming engaged in 2017 and marrying in May last year.
The couple revealed in April that they would be announcing their baby’s arrival on their own terms. In a statement from Kensington Palace officials, the couple said they’d taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. “The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family,” the statement read.
The royal couple announced their pregnancy in October last year as they touched down in Australia for a whirlwind visit. Since then the Duchess of Sussex has continued her many engagements around the world, including travelling to New York for her baby shower in February.
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Royal wedding: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged
NOVEMBER 27, 2017
It’s official – the world’s most eligible bachelor is getting married. Prince Harry is set to wed his American sweetheart Meghan Markle next year.
The happy news has been confirmed by the ‘delighted’ royal family, which revealed the pair became engaged in London earlier this month.
The wedding date is set for May 2018, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
The loved-up pair revealed that the romantic Prince took to bended knee to ask for Meghan’s hand in marriage.
“Just a cosy night, it was — what we were doing, just roasting chicken,” Ms Markle explained. “It was just an amazing surprise. It was so sweet, and natural and very romantic. He got down on one knee.”
“Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger. I was like ‘Can I give you the ring?’. It was a really nice moment. Just the two of us,” added Prince Harry.
The stunning engagement ring features yellow gold, which is Meghan’s favourite, and three stones. The large one in the middle is from Botswana, where the couple had their first trip together. The two smaller stones are a connection to the Prince’s mum – they’re from Princess Diana’s personal jewellery collection.
“Not being able to meet his mum, it’s so important to me to know that she’s a part of this with us,” Ms Markle said.
It’ll be a busy first half of 2018 for the royals, with Prince William and Kate Middleton due to have their third bub in April. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are just as thrilled as the rest of the world to see the pair head down the aisle.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said of the engagement:
‘We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to
know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.’— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 27, 2017
Meghan’s proud parents say they’re thrilled their ‘kind and loving’ daughter has found someone with the same qualities to share her life with.
Ms. Markle’s parents, Mr. Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland have wished the couple ‘a lifetime of happiness.’ pic.twitter.com/H4kpTgpkYE
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) November 27, 2017
Congratulations to the gorgeous couple!
