Everything We Know About The Birth Of Meghan And Harry's Daughter
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have welcomed their second child, daughter Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Per CNN, the Sussexes confirmed the news in a statement, via Archewell. Baby Lilibet was born at 11:40 a.m. at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and weighed 7 lbs and 11 oz at the time of her birth.
According to the official statement, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn gets her first name, Lilibet, from Queen Elizabeth's nickname. Her middle name, meanwhile, is a nod to her godmother and Harry's mother.
However, people will have to wait to get a glimpse of Lilibet, as no photos accompanied the official announcement of her birth. Lilibet now becomes the eighth in line to the royal throne. She is behind her grandfather Prince Charles; uncle Prince William; William and Kate Middleton's three children; her father, Prince Harry; and her older brother, Archie, born on May 6, 2019, a year after Harry and Meghan got married. Lilibet is also the most senior royal to have been born overseas, making her a dual citizen of the U.S. and U.K., per CNN.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter is 'more than we could have ever imagined'
In the official Archewell statement, the Sussexes revealed the news and expressed their gratitude. "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 statement reads.
Lilibet's birth brings much joy to the Sussexes, especially after Meghan Markle revealed in a November 2020 essay for The New York Times that she suffered a miscarriage in the summer of 2020. Meghan announced her pregnancy with their daughter in February 2021.
Meghan and Prince Harry were private about the pregnancy, but Meghan did speak about it in a pre-recorded message shared at the Vax Live concert in May 2021. "My husband and I are thrilled to soon be welcoming a daughter — it's a feeling of joy we share with millions of other families around the world," Meghan said in the video message (via CNN). "When we think of her, we think of all the young women and girls around the globe who must be given the ability and support to lead us forward."