Meghan and Harry welcome a baby boy

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have welcomed a baby boy.

The duchess of Sussex delivered the baby at 5.26am and he weighed 7lb 3oz.

The duke of Sussex was at his wife's side and mother and baby are both doing well, Buckingham Palace said.

Prince Harry spoke to the media at Windsor Castle this afternoon and  announced news of his son's birth.

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"I'm very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a baby boy earlier this morning, a very healthy boy. Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It's been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined.

"How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension, but 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 wanted to share this with everybody."

Asked if they had any names yet, he said: "Still thinking about names. The baby is a little bit overdue, so we've had a little bit of time to think about it.

"That's the next bit, but for us I think we will 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 what it was like to be present for the birth, he laughed and said: "I haven't been at many births. This is definitely my first birth. It was amazing, absolutely incredible, and, as I said, I'm so incredibly proud of my wife.

"As every father and parent will ever say, you know, your baby is absolutely amazing, but this little thing is absolutely to-die-for, so I'm just over the moon."

The palace said in a statement: "Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son at 0526hrs.

"The baby weighs 7lb 3oz.

"The Duke of Sussex was present for the birth.

"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.

"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."

Harry and Meghan's baby is seventh in line to the throne, and the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's eighth great-grandchild.