Meghan Markle has given birth to baby boy with proud dad Prince Harry gushing about the “most amazing experience.”
The UK Sun reports that the Sussex baby was born at 5.26am Monday and weighs 7lbs 3oz. The newest addition to the Windsor family will be a first cousin of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and a fourth grandchild for the Prince of Wales.
Baby Sussex’s arrival comes less than a year after Harry married American former actress Meghan in a glittering ceremony in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Ahead of the birth, the duke and duchess made a personal decision to keep their arrangements private, amid speculation they had opted for a home birth at their new home, Frogmore Cottage, close to the Queen’s Windsor Castle home.
Meghan, 37, has been staying close to home with her mum, Doria Ragland, by her side at Frogmore Cottage for more than a week. Sources close to the family said Ms Ragland wanted to be by her daughter’s side for the event.
Speculation has surrounded where she will give birth – with rumours she could opt for the Kensington wing of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital – where pals George Clooney’s wife Amal had their children.
Reports had previously suggested Meghan could choose an NHS hospital in Surrey, the Frimley Park hospital which is just 15 miles away from their home, and where the Countess of Wessex had her two children.
The Sun on Sunday revealed April 28 was Meghan’s official due date – but Prince Harry, 34, surprised fans when he arrived at the London Marathon last week to hand out medals.
But Harry was forced to cancel part of a planned trip to the Netherlands this week amid rumours Meghan’s first baby was due last weekend. The duke has an official visit to The Hague scheduled for Thursday when he is due to launch the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games 2020.
PRIVATE BIRTH
But royal fans will be left disappointed as Meghan is not planning to pose on the hospital steps with her baby as she wants a more private birth.
The couple posted a statement on April 11 saying they have “taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private”.
The former actress also doesn’t want the pressure of looking picture perfect after Kate Middleton looked immaculate when she emerged just hours after Prince Louis’ birth.
It is not the only royal tradition Meghan and Harry have broken for the birth of their first child.
The couple shunned the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London where the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to her three children.
The wing has been favoured by British royalty since 1977 – with Princess Diana giving birth to William in 1982 and Harry at St Mary’s in 1984.
The Lindo Wing offers mums-to-be the chance to indulge in afternoon tea, lavish menus and bottomless champagne to celebrate the birth.
But Meghan and Harry broke the four-decade tradition by instead opting for a maternity hospital closer to her and Prince Harry’s new home in the ancient town of Windsor.
