Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are taking time off to bond with the newest addition to their family.
On Sunday, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced the birth of their daughter, Lilibet "Lili" Diana, who was born on Friday in Santa Barbara, California.
"On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili," the couple said in a personal statement shared on their Archewell Foundation website in their daughter's birth announcement. "She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family."
In a footnote to the announcement on the Archewell website, the couple quietly announced their intention to take joint parental leave following Lili's birth.
"While the Duke and Duchess are on parental leave, Archewell will continue to do important work and publish stories on the site," a brief note at the end Lili's birth announcement read. "We look forward to seeing you!"
According to People, Meghan and Harry are expected to take 20 weeks off for parental leave, in line with the policy offered to their own Archewell employees.
The Sussexes have yet to release a picture of their daughter, but they did share some other details about the newborn in her birth announcement, including her weight (7 lbs 11 oz.) and the fact that both she and Meghan Markle are "healthy and well, and settling in at home."
Harry and Meghan named their daughter in honor of two very important relatives, Queen Elizabeth II and Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. As the couple explained in their announcement, "Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales."
The Duke and Duchess made a point of thanking fans for their "warm wishes and prayers" and asked that anyone interested in sending a gift in celebration of Lili's birth to "support or learn more about these organizations working for women and girls: Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED or Myna Mahila Foundation."
Kayleigh Roberts is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, covering celebrity and entertainment news, from actual royals like Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle to Hollywood royalty, like Katie Holmes and Chrissy Teigen. She’s a Ravenclaw who would do great things in Slytherin. To learn more about her, google “Leslie Knope eating salad GIF.
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