Meghan Markle gives birth: Prince Harry beams with delight as he gushes over ‘most amazing experience’
PRINCE Harry beamed with delight as he gushed over the "most amazing experience" of seeing Meghan Markle give birth to a baby boy.
The Sussex baby was born at 5.26am this morning and weighs 7lbs 3oz.
Speaking to the press just after 3pm in Windsor, the delighted Prince said he was "incredibly proud" of his wife and that both were "very healthy".
He said: "It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined.
"How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.
"This little baby is absolutely to die for.
"I'm just over the moon."
- Meghan Markle went into labour early this morning
- She gave birth to a baby boy weighing 7lbs 3oz at 5.26am
- Beaming Prince Harry told the world "the little thing is to die for"
- Mum and new baby at Frogmore Cottage with Harry and gran Doria
- For the latest on the royal birth, read our live blog
Harry looked slick in a white button up shirt, black trousers and a grey sweater as he gleefully discussed his wife and baby.
The baby's sex was a surprise for the delighted couple, who chose not to find out what they were having.
The newest addition to the Windsor family is 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 Suits actress Meghan in a glittering ceremony in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Prince Harry said they were still thinking about names but would show off their baby to the world in the two days' time.
The royal couple are currently at their new home, Frogmore Cottage, close to the Queen's Windsor Castle home.
The Duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild, is with the royal couple at Frogmore Cottage.
Sources close to the family said Ms Ragland wanted to be by her daughter's side for the event.
Ahead of the birth, Harry and Meghan made a personal decision to keep their arrangements private, amid speculation they had opted for a home birth at Frogmore Cottage.
They also said they would only share the news of the baby's arrival once they had had a chance to celebrate privately as a family.
Reports had previously suggested Meghan could opt for the Kensington wing of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where pals George Clooney's wife Amal had their children or an NHS hospital in Surrey, the Frimley Park hospital which is just 15 miles away from their home.
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.
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.
BREAK WITH TRADITION
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.
NHS-run hospital Frimley Park is where the Countess of Wessex gave birth to both of her children.
The hospital had been put on standby and is only 30 minutes from their Windsor home.
The couple have always insisted publicly they do not know if they are having a boy or a girl.
But Meghan reportedly told pals at her New York baby shower she was having a boy.
Regardless of gender, the couple's first child will be seventh in line to the throne but it won't have the prince or princess title because of a rule created in 1917.
Descendants of Prince Harry are too far removed from Queen Elizabeth to have the Royal Highness title, so they are most likely to use the royal family's personal surname Mountbatten-Windsor.
PREGNANCY RUMOURS
Kensington Palace announced the pregnancy on October 15, 2018, five months after the couple married in a stunning ceremony at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Fans had been speculating for weeks Meghan was having a baby after the Duchess kept covering up her stomach at royal events.
Eagle-eyed fans went into overdrive the morning the announcement was made when Meghan showed up in Australia for the first day of her royal tour carrying two folders in front of her bump.
The happy news was later confirmed on the Palace's .
It read: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the spring of 2019.
"Their Royal Highnesses have appreciated all of the support they have received from people around the world since their wedding in May and are delighted to be able to share this happy news with the public."
Meghan then let slip she was expecting in April during a trip to Birkenhead as she met locals in the during her and Prince Harry's first joint engagement of 2019 on January 14.
The Duchess of Sussex was last seen on an official engagement on March 19 when she signed a book of condolences in London with Harry for the victims of the Christchurch terror attack.
ROYAL LOVE STORY
Meghan broke hearts across the world when it was officially announced on November 8, 2016, she was dating Prince Harry.
The glamorous actress, who played Rachel Zane in legal drama Suits, met her Prince after being introduced by Soho House director Markus Anderson at the Invictus Games.
But it wasn't until February that fans caught a glimpse of the couple as pictures emerged of the pair hand-in-hand in London.
On May 6, 2017, Meghan made her first public appearance as a royal girlfriend when she proudly watched Prince Harry playing polo in Berkshire.
At the time, friends said actress Meghan had “virtually moved in” to Harry’s cottage at Kensington Palace with the couple having been “inseparable” for weeks.
Then in September, the pair were pictured together in Toronto as they attended the Invictus Games with Meghan's mum Doria.
The couple announced their engagement on November 27, 2017, after Harry received the blessing of Meghan's parents - Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle.
He even designed the engagement ring himself using a diamond from Botswana and two stones from Princess Diana's jewellery collection.
WEDDING FIT FOR A PRINCE
In their first-ever joint interview, which aired following the official announcement of their engagement, Harry told the BBC: "I'd never even heard of her until this friend said 'Meghan Markle' - I was like 'right OK give me a bit of background.'
"I'd never watched any of Suits. I was beautifully surprised when I walked into that room and saw her.
"I thought I'm really gonna have to up my game, sit down and make sure I have good chat."
They tied the knot on May 19, 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, which is where Harry was christened when he was three months old.
The Prince melted the hearts of the nation when he told his blushing bride "you look amazing" as the couple wed in a modern ceremony.
Prince Charles, heir to the throne and Harry's father, accompanied Meghan to the altar from the middle of the chapel after her own dad was unable to attend the wedding.
Since then, the couple have been on whirlwind royal tours to Morocco and Australia as they continue to throw the royal family into the 21st century.
TEARS AND TIARAS
Meghan has been dogged by rumours of a rift with Kate since she married Harry last year.
In November 2018, it was reported that Meghan left her sister-in-law in tears over her demands for Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress.
Royal aides did not deny the incident had taken place, amid claims that the duchesses are “very different people”.
NAME GAME
Speculation surrounding the baby's name has been rife - with bookies taking a flurry of bets on the royal youngster being named Diana.
Victoria also has equal odds of 10/1, while Elizabeth - after the Queen - is lagging behind at 16/1.
MOST READ IN NEWS
If Baby Sussex turns out to be a boy, Arthur is the current favourite at 4/1, with Edward, James and Phillip following close behind.
Per royal protocol, the Queen reportedly has to be the first to know of the birth and the name of the child.
Regardless, the baby will make history as the first Anglo-American to be born into the royal family.