Prince Harry and Meghan Markle welcome baby girl

6 June 2021, 17:05 | Updated: 6 June 2021, 20:42

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have welcomed a baby girl and named her Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lilibet was born on Friday at 11:40am at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara weighing 7lb 11oz, and is now "settling in at home", Harry and Meghan said.

In a message of thanks from Meghan and Harry on the Archewell website they said: "On June 4, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili.

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"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."

Senior members of the Royal Family have also shared their congratulations.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman 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.' 

Kate and William released a statement later in the evening which said: "We are all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili.

"Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie."

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The little girl is a sister for the couple's first son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, who recently turned two.

She was born almost two months after the death of her great-grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Lilibet - the Queen's family nickname - was first used when Princess Elizabeth was just a toddler and unable to pronounce her own name properly.

Her grandfather King George V would affectionately call her 'Lilibet' imitating her own attempts to say Elizabeth.

The sweet nickname stuck and she became Lilibet to her family from then on.

Lili's middle name Diana honours Harry's later mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

It is no surprise the couple chose to pay tribute to Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997 when Harry was just 12.

Lili has been born almost a month before the princess would have celebrated her 60th birthday on July 1.

Lili's cousin Princess Charlotte also has Diana as one of her middle names, as well as Elizabeth. She is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

The Duke of Edinburgh also referred to his wife as Lilibet, writing to his mother in law after their wedding: "Lilibet is the only 'thing' in the world which is absolutely real to me."

Anyone wishing to send a present is asked to support organisations working for women and girls.

A message on the Archewell website reads: "For those inquiring on sending gifts, we would ask that you support or learn more about these organisations working for women and girls: Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED or Myna Mahila Foundation."

Baby Lili is eighth in line to the throne and the 11th great-grandchild for the Queen.

The first seven places remain unchanged - the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Harry, and Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

More to follow...