Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, gives birth to a baby boy

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"Mother and baby are doing incredibly well," Prince Harry said. (AP/File photo)
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A beaming Prince Harry announced the birth Sunday to cameras outside Windsor Castle. (AFP)
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The Duchess of Sussex was said to be doing "incredibly well." (Reuters/File)
Updated 06 May 2019
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Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, gives birth to a baby boy

  • The infant will be seventh in line to the British throne and Queen Elizabeth II's eighth great-grandchild
  • Prince Harry says he's 'incredibly proud' of his wife and that they have a healthy baby boy who weighs 7 pounds 3 ounces

WINDSOR, UK: A beaming Prince Harry said his wife Meghan gave birth to a baby boy early Monday morning.
Harry says he's "incredibly proud" of his wife and that they have a healthy baby boy who weighs 7 pounds 3 ounces. He has not yet been named.
Harry said the child was a little bit overdue and that had given them more time to contemplate names. He says he is ecstatic about the birth of their first child and said more details will be shared in the coming days.
"This little baby is absolutely to die for," he said. "I'm just over the moon."

The infant will be seventh in line to the British throne and Queen Elizabeth II's eighth great-grandchild. Harry is the younger son of Prince Charles, the next in line to the throne, and the late Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash in 1997.
The child will be eligible for dual British-US citizenship if Meghan and Harry want to go through the application process.
Harry, speaking before TV cameras on Monday afternoon was present for the birth, which he said was an amazing experience. The couple has said they didn't find out the baby's sex in advance.
Senor royals have been informed of the birth, as has the family of Princess Diana, Harry's late mother.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, was formerly known as Meghan Markle and was a TV star before retiring from acting to marry Harry at St. George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle a year ago.
Journalists and well-wishers have camped out for days in Windsor, about 35 kilometers west of London, awaiting the baby's arrival.

Meghan, a California native, had a starring role on the American TV series "Suits." She had a previous marriage that ended in divorce and has strong feminist views. As the daughter of a black mother and a white father, she says she identifies as biracial.
Harry, who has said he wanted to protect his wife from intrusive media coverage, and Meghan have said they plan to keep many of the details of the birth private.
The birth marks the completion of Harry's transformation from troubled teenager to committed military man to proud father. He has long spoken of his desire to start a family.

He and his older brother, Prince William, along with their wives, are seen by many in Britain as the new, fresh face of a royal family that had become stodgy and aged. They are raising the next generation of royals amid a genuine groundswell of public support for the monarchy.
Meghan in particular represents a change for the royals: She is American, older than her husband, divorced, and comes from a biracial background.
She also achieved considerable success in her own right before agreeing to a blind date with Harry that changed both their lives. Meghan had an important role in the popular TV series "Suits" and had a wide following even before she joined the world's most famous royal family.
Harry and Meghan recently moved from central London to a secluded house known as Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle. The move is seen in part as reflecting a desire for privacy as they raise their first child.
It also separates Harry and Meghan from William and his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, who had been living in the same compound at Kensington Palace in central London.

 


‘Hero’ who disarmed Bondi gunman recovers in hospital as donations pour in

Updated 15 December 2025
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‘Hero’ who disarmed Bondi gunman recovers in hospital as donations pour in

  • Sydney resident Ahmed Al-Ahmed seized rifle from one of the gunmen
  • Ahmed was shot in hand and arm his family says
  • Australia PM said Ahmed showed ‘best of humanity’

SYDNEY: Donations for a Sydney man who wrestled a gun from one of the alleged attackers during a mass shooting at Bondi Beach have surged past A$1.1 million ($744,000), as he recovers in hospital after surgery for bullet wounds.

Forty-three-year-old Ahmed Al-Ahmed, a Muslim father-of-two, hid behind parked cars before charging at one of the gunmen from behind, seizing his rifle and knocking him to the ground.

 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ahmed’s bravery saved lives.

“What we’ve seen in the last 24 hours was the worst of humanity in a terrorist act. But we also saw an example of the best of humanity in Ahmed Al Ahmed running toward danger, putting his own life at risk,” Albanese told state broadcaster ABC News.

He was shot twice by a second perpetrator, Albanese said. Ahmed’s family said he was hit in the hand and arm.

Australian police on Monday said a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son carried out the attack at a Jewish celebration on Sunday afternoon, killing 15 people in the country’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years.

HAILED A HERO FOR DISARMING THE GUNMAN

Ahmed’s father, Mohamed Fateh al Ahmed, told ABC News in an interview that his son was an Australian citizen and sells fruits and vegetables.

“My son is a hero. He served in the police, he has the passion to defend people.”

“When he saw people lying on the ground and the blood, quickly his conscience pushed him to attack one of the terrorists and take away his weapon,” Mohamed Fateh said.

Jozay Alkanji, Ahmed’s cousin, said he had had initial surgery and may need more.

AHMED PICTURED IN HOSPITAL

Tributes have poured in from leaders both abroad and at home.

Chris Minns, the premier of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, said in a social media post he visited Ahmed at St. George Hospital and conveyed the gratitude of people across the state.

“Ahmed is a real-life hero,” his post said. “Thank you, Ahmed.” A photo showed Minns at his bedside, and Ahmed propped on pillows with his left arm in a cast.

US President Donald Trump called Ahmed “a very, very brave person” who saved many lives.

A GoFundMe campaign set up for Ahmed has raised more than A$1.1 million within one day. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was the largest donor, contributing A$99,999 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.

SUPPORTERS THANK AHMED FOR SAVING LIVES

Outside St. George Hospital, strangers came to show their support.

Misha and Veronica Pochuev left flowers for Ahmed with their seven-year-old daughter, Miroslava.

“My husband is Russian, my father is Jewish, my grandpa is Muslim. This is not only about Bondi, this is about every person,” Veronica said.

Yomna Touni, 43, stayed at the hospital for hours to offer assistance on behalf of a Muslim-run charity also raising funds for Ahmed.

“The intention is to raise as much money as possible for his speedy recovery,” she said. ($1 = 1.5047 Australian dollars) (Writing by Praveen Menon; Editing by Michael Perry, Saad Sayeed, Alexandra Hudson)