Royal baby born: Duchess of Sussex gives birth to baby boy weighing 7lbs 3oz

- Duchess of Sussex was taken into labour in the small hours of this morning - Prince Harry was at her side during the birth - Meghan's Mother Doria Ragland now at her side at Frogmore Cottage Follow all the latest developments LIVE

The Duchess of Sussex has given birth to a son.

Meghan, 37, safely delivered her first child and proud father Prince Harry was present at the birth.

The as yet unnamed royal baby is seventh in line to the throne and weighed 7lbs 3oz.

A statement from Buckingham Palace said: "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs. The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz.

Prince Harry said: "It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined"
REUTERS

"The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth."

A delighted Prince Harry said: "I am very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy early this morning. A very healthy boy."

Thrilled Prince Harry after the birth of his son

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"Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined."

Prince Harry said the experience was "amazing" and he wanted to "share it with everybody"
PA

"How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension. We're both absolutely thrilled and so grateful to all the love and support from everybody out there.

"It's been amazing, so we just want to share this with everybody."

Prince Harry was overjoyed at the birth of his son

"We are still thinking about names. The baby's a little bit overdue, so we've had a little bit of time to think about it, but that's the next bit.

"We will be seeing you guys in two days' time as planned, as a family, to share it with you guys so everyone can see the baby.

A message to Meghan and Harry on top of the BT Tower

The Duke, who couldn't stop grinning as he gave his statement, joked: "I haven't been at many births! This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible.

"As I said, I am so incredibly proud of my wife.

The Duchess of Sussex has given birth to a baby boy
REUTERS

"As every father or parent would say, your baby is absolutely amazing. But this little thing is absolutely to die for, so I am just over the moon."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on a recent trip to Morocco
AFP/Getty Images

The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer were informed and were said to be "delighted" with the news.

The Duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, who is "overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild" is with Their Royal Highnesses at Frogmore Cottage.

"Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well," the palace statement read.

A framed notice of birth was placed outside Buckingham Palace
AFP/Getty Images

A framed notice of birth went on display on a ceremonial easel on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace following the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son.

The framed notice of birth was brought out of the Privy Purse Door and carried across the forecourt, and placed on the easel at 4.30pm this afternoon.

The couple have not yet released the name of the child, but that will be announced within days.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, are now expected to visit the couple and their new baby at the weekend after returning from an official visit to Germany.

The baby’s position in the line of succession was assured as 7th irrespective of its sex due to the change in the primogeniture rules.

Meghan Markle's maternity looks - In pictures

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The palace issued a statement at just after 2pm today saying that Meghan had gone into labour.

The baby is understood to have been a few days late as it was due in late April or early May.

As previously announced their newborn will not be making his or her public appearance on its first day in the world, a step away from recent royal births.

Buckingham Palace said the couple would only share the "exciting news with everyone" once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.

A photocall with a reporter and photographer from the Press Association and television cameraman will take place with the Duke, Duchess and new baby in the coming days.

It will be The Queen’s decision whether the baby will be a prince, although Harry and Meghan of course will have an input.

A royal decree issued by King George V in 1917 limits the number of grand royal titles in a way that would make Harry and Meghan's baby known as a Lord as the child of a Duke rather than as a prince.

Queen Elizabeth II issued new Letters Patent on December 31, 2012 declaring that all of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s children will have the title of Royal Highness and be styled Princes and Princesses.

The document states, “The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 31 December 2012 to declare that all the children of the eldest son of The Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Prince Harry & Meghan Markle

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The Queen’s Letters Patent revised King George V’s 1917 decree that only the eldest son of the Prince of Wales’s eldest son was entitled to be styled His Royal Highness and a Prince.

According to this document, the daughters and younger sons of the Prince of Wales’s eldest son were to be styled as children of a Duke. These ducal titles would change to royal titles once the Prince of Wales succeeded to the throne.

The Queen’s decree ensured that if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest child was a daughter, she would be styled a Princess rather than a Lady.

She could intervene again in this case and do the same for Harry and Meghan's offspring, but Her Majesty’s position on that subject have not been made public.

It is also possible that Harry and Meghan could decide they don't want the special designation for the baby, in order to give their child a more normal upbringing.

The Royal Collection has already released a "Royal Baby Bear 2019".

The new limited edition cream bear, which costs £125, has been handmade by traditional Shropshire-based teddy bear makers Merrythought especially for the Royal Collection.

Only 100 of the 19cm-tall toys - made using alpaca fleece with 100% cotton back and pure silk - are available to buy.

The bear, finished with a cream bow around its neck, has an embroidered golden crown and "2019" on one of its feet.

Baby Sussex will be a product of two cultures: its father a prince who is a symbol of Britain; its mother quintessentially American - a self-made TV star with a white father and an African American mother.

The child is unlikely to ever become king, but the presence of a half-American child who may choose to hold dual nationality could shake up the royal family, just as the arrival of Meghan has had a modernizing effect on the stately but sometimes stodgy House of Windsor.

"It's quite possible the child will have a lot of American influence," royal commentator Hugo Vickers said. "The royal family is not totally unused to that kind of thing. Children have been born with Greek mothers or German mothers in the past, obviously, but Meghan is the first American mother so close in the royal family."

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