The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, announced on Sunday through their non-profit organization Archewell that they recently welcomed their second child. The couple’s daughter was born on Friday (June 4) and has been named after two very important women in Harry’s life.
“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 official statement read of the child’s arrival, born at 7 lbs 11 oz. 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 in Santa Barbara, CA.”
“Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet,” the statement added. “Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.”
The former royals also shared a personal message in their official statement, showing appreciation for the well-wishes and encouraging those inquiring about gifts for the newborn to instead support or inform themselves about organizations centered around the uplifting of women, including Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED or Myna Mahila Foundation.
“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,” their message read. “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
This is the second child for the couple. They are parents to son Archie, 2. Meghan revealed that she miscarried last July in a piece she wrote for the New York Times. She and Prince Harry also did an interview with Oprah Winfrey in March where they shared insight on the experiences they had as members of the royal family that led to their exit from it earlier this year. Those revelations included a significant bout with depression for the Duchess due to incessant negative reports about her by British press, and Archie not only not receiving a royal title but also having his appearance be a cause for concern by an unnamed royal before he was even born.
Despite all of that, it’s clear that the couple’s connection to Queen Elizabeth is still strong considering the choice to go with Lili. And royal family members have also celebrated Prince Harry and Meghan’s newest addition, overlooking their feelings regarding that tell-all interview to send positivity through social media.
Mom and baby are settling in at home as the Duke and Duchess take a parental leave to focus on being a family of four now.