All hail Britain's newest prince!
On Monday, May 6, Prince Harry, 34, and Duchess Meghan, 37, welcomed their first child following weeks of anticipation and speculation as the American royal went past her due date.
"We are pleased to announce that Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their firstborn child in the early morning on May 6th, 2019," reads a statement from the couple on Instagram, which accompanies the words "It's a BOY!"
"Their Royal Highnesses' son weighs 7lbs. 3oz. The Duchess and baby are both healthy and well, and the couple thank members of the public for their shared excitement and support during this very special time in their lives. More details will be shared in the forthcoming days."
In a surprise move, an absolutely giddy Harry spoke to a pool reporter to give a brief interview outside Windsor Castle's horse stables just hours after his son's arrival. "I'm very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy early this morning, a very healthy baby boy," Harry said. "Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It's been the most amazing experience I can ever possibly imagine.
"How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension but we're both absolutely thrilled and so grateful [for] all the love and support from everybody out there. It's been amazing so we just wanted to share this with everybody," he added.
When asked about what they'll call their son, Harry said they were "still thinking about names."
"The baby's a little bit overdue so we've had a little bit of time to think about it," he explained. "But… we're still, that's… that's the next bit," Harry shared. "For us, I think we'll be seeing you guys in probably two days' time as planned, as a family, to be able to share it with you guys — and so everyone can see the baby!"
Asked about his son's birth, Harry said with a laugh, "I haven't been at many births, this is definitely my first birth, but it was amazing, absolutely incredible," he gushed. "As I said, I'm so incredibly proud of my wife. And as every father and parent would ever say, your baby is absolutely amazing. But this little thing is absolutely to die for so I'm just over the moon."
Less than an hour before the birth announcement was made, Buckingham Palace revealed that Meghan was in labor early on May 6. "The Duchess of Sussex went into labour in the early hours of this morning," read a tweet from the Royal Family's official account. "The Duke of Sussex was by Her Royal Highness's side. An announcement will be made soon."
An announcement was shared shortly after on the royal family's official website and Twitter accounts. "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs this morning. The baby weighs 7lbs 3oz. The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth," it began.
"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 have been informed and are delighted with the news," it continued. "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 the baby are both doing well."
The couple had previously said they didn't know the gender of their child ahead of time and wanted to keep it a surprise up until the birth.
Baby Sussex is now seventh in line to the British throne.
The happy news comes a month after the couple settled into a new family home. They announced in November 2018 that they would be moving out of Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace in London and into Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Castle grounds about 20 miles away. The couple took their engagement photos on the grounds of nearby Frogmore House, where they had their private wedding reception in May 2018.
Harry wanted to escape "the goldfish bowl of royal life" for some "breathing space and a place they could call their own," a source told the Sun in November.
An insider told "Entertainment Tonight" that "Windsor was the perfect fit for Harry and Meghan. The 10-bedroom [Frogmore Cottage] has more space for children when they expand their family and of course has a special place in their hearts."
In mid-April, Buckingham Palace announced that the duo would keep their baby's birth private.
"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby," the palace said in a statement on April 11. "Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family."
Kensington Palace initially announced that that Harry and Meghan were expecting last October, tweeting, "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."
Since then, there had been much speculation about Meghan's due date, especially after she said "we're nearly there" in December. She later told well-wishers she was due in April.
In February, she traveled to New York City for an extravagant celebrity-hosted baby shower.
The couple has been very open about wanting to expand their family. When their engagement was announced, Harry was asked about having children with Meghan.
"Not yet, no, but I think eventually, one step at a time, and we'll start a family in the near future," he said.
Meghan hasn't shied away from baby talk either. While looking at a collection of innovative baby products during a visit to Northern Ireland with Harry in March 2018, Meghan was overheard saying, "I am sure at one point we will need the whole thing."
While the child will certainly live a life of privilege, Harry and Meghan plan to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible.
"[Harry and Meghan's] children are expected to one day have regular jobs and will be raised to appreciate the differences in society," a source told "Entertainment Tonight." "They will have a healthy respect for boundaries like other children. They will have chores at home and be brought up with respect."