Meghan Markle confirms she has given birth to baby daughter... and named her after the Queen

6 June 2021, 17:30 | Updated: 6 June 2021, 18:10

By Emma Gritt

@emmagritt

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have become parents for a second time, and revealed their little girl was born on Friday, almost a week earlier than expected.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have welcomed their baby daughter - and named her after the Queen and Princess Diana.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan, who are now living in California, confirmed the arrival of their second child, and confirmed that she has been named Lilibet Diana.

They 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.

"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. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home."

The baby weighed in at seven pounds and 11 ounces, and has arrived almost a week early.

She was due on Thursday June 10, which would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday.

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The couple added in a statement released through their spokesperson: "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet.

"Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honour her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."

Meghan previously spoke out about her joy that she and Harry, who are already parents to Archie, 2, were expecting a little girl.

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She said: "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. 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," she said.

"Their future leadership depends on the decisions we make, and the actions we take now to set them up, and set all of us up, for a successful, equitable, and compassionate tomorrow."