The second baby for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is officially here: Meghan gave birth to a healthy girl on Friday.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan said Sunday the couple welcomed their child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Their daughter weighed in at 7 lbs, 11 oz.
Her first name, Lilibet, is a nod to the Queen’s nickname. Her middle name is in honour of her grandmother, Harry’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales. The baby is the eighth in line to the British throne.
No photos of the newborn or the Sussexes accompanied the announcement.
The birth comes after Harry and Meghan’s explosive TV interview with Oprah Winfrey in March. The couple described painful discussions about the colour of their first child’s skin, losing royal protection and the intense pressures that led Meghan to contemplate suicide.
Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were “concerning.” The Royal Family said the issue would be addressed privately.
WATCH | What are the consequences of Meghan and Harry’s interview?
Royal commentator Roya Nikkhah and women’s rights activist Shola Mos-Shogbamimu talk to Adrienne Arsenault about the revelations in Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey, the media reaction in the U.S. and U.K. and what, if any, changes might come out of it. 6:56
Winfrey and Harry have recently collaborated on the Apple TV+ mental health series The Me You Can’t See.
Harry and American actor Meghan Markle married at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son, Archie, was born a year later.
In early 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They live in Montecito, a posh area near Santa Barbara, Calif.
Last year, Meghan revealed that she had a miscarriage in July 2020, giving a personal account of the traumatic experience in hope of helping others.
Months before the miscarriage, Harry said the Royal Family cut him off financially at the start of 2020 after announcing plans to step back from his roles. But he was able to afford security for his family because of the money his mother, Diana, left behind.
In the interview with Winfrey, Meghan said she grew concerned about her son not having a royal title because it meant he wouldn’t be provided security and that digesting everything while pregnant was “very hard.” More than the “prince” title, she said she was most concerned about her son’s safety and protection.
Meghan said it was hard for her to understand why there were concerns within the Royal Family about her son’s skin colour. She said it was hard for her to “compartmentalize” those conversations.
Harry, too, said there are lasting impacts about Meghan’s treatment and his relationship with his family.
Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal duties began in March 2020 over what they described as the intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the duchess.
