Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby girl has arrived.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced the birth of their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. The name pays tribute to both Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
“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,” Meghan and Harry announced in a statement Sunday. “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
The baby was born on Friday at 11:40 a.m. “in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, Calif.,” according to press secretary for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.
Both Meghan, 39, and the baby “are healthy and well, and settling in at home,” according to the statement.
The name choice is Meghan and 36-year-old Harry’s clear move to strengthen family ties amid a torrid few months in the wake of their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey and official exit from the royal family.
Although the couple recently made numerous allegations against the Palace, including claims of racism, they have both insisted on their love and respect for the Queen.
The statement announcing the baby’s birth noted, “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.”
Harry’s older brother, Prince William, also paid tribute to their late mother and the Queen with the name of his now-6-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.
Meghan and Harry, who currently reside in a $14 million mansion in Montecito, Calif. with 2-year-old son Archie, confirmed in February that they were expecting.
A month later, the couple revealed that the child would be a girl during their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“A girl, you know, what more can you ask for?” Harry said. “But now, you know, now we’ve got our family. We’ve got, you know, the four of us and our two dogs, and it’s great.”
Following the revelation, royal fans speculated if Meghan and Harry would name their daughter after the Prince’s late mother, Princess Diana, who tragically died in August 1997.
Harry is currently sixth in line to the British throne and his son Archie is seventh, making baby Lilibet eighth.
Unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three children, the Sussex kids do not have royal titles. But they will receive the title of prince and princess once their grandfather Prince Charles takes the throne.
Much has changed for Meghan and Harry since their May 2018 nuptials. In January of last year, the couple quit their positions as “senior” royals and relocated to North America.
In July, Meghan, a former actress and star of the show, “Suits,” suffered a miscarriage.
In the wake of Megxit, Meghan and Harry spoke publicly about their struggles and unhappiness as members of the royal family.
Ahead of their daughter’s birth, Meghan made a cameo in Harry and Oprah’s Apple TV+ mental health docuseries “The Me You Can’t See” wearing a T-shirt with the parenting message “Raising the Future.”
