Meghan Markle gives birth to daughter Lilibet, her second child with Prince Harry
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has given birth to her second child with Prince Harry, welcoming daughter Lilibet on Friday in California, the couple's press secretary said 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 said. "Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home."
The press secretary said Lilibet was born Friday morning at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, and weighed 7 lbs., 11 ounces.
The statement said the child is named after Queen Elizabeth, Harry's grandmother, "whose family nickname is Lilibet." Her middle name of Diana was chosen to honor Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.
The couple have a 2-year-old son, Archie, and wished to thank the public "for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family."
Lilibet is eighth in the line of succession for the throne. Harry and Meghan's children do not have titles like "prince" or "princess" because only the grandchildren of the monarch have those titles, although Queen Elizabeth made an exception for William's children, since they are in the direct line of succession.
Harry's brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Catherine, issued a statement Sunday afternoon saying they are "all delighted by the happy news of the arrival of baby Lili. Congratulations to Harry, Meghan and Archie." And their father, Prince Charles, issued a similar statement, saying they were "wishing them all well at this special time."
Harry and Meghan have been estranged from his family since at least January 2020, when the couple announced they would be stepping down from royal duties.
In a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, the couple detailed some of the disagreements they had with his family, including how there were conversations when she was pregnant with Archie about "how dark" his skin color would be.
Harry returned to the U.K. in April for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at the age of 99. Meghan stayed in California, where the family lives, on medical advice.
Lilibet is Queen Elizabeth's 11th great-grandchild, and his cousin, Princess Beatrice, announced in March that she is pregnant with the queen's 12th great-grandchild.