This royal baby news is about to make your day

Congratulations are definitely in order

queen elizabeth shoes
(Image credit: Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

Congratulations are definitely in order

2018 is undoubtedly the year of royal babies, from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcoming Prince Louis two months ago, to Pippa Middleton announcing that she was pregnant with a baby of her own.

The latest royal baby news however comes from Zara and Mike Tindall, who it was announced last week have welcomed their second child.

REX/Shutterstock
(Image credit: REX/Shutterstock)

While a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed the news that the couple had welcomed a daughter, the name of their newborn was kept under wraps until today.

Their choice? Lena Elizabeth - a lovely nod to her great-grandmother, the Queen. And as for the decision behind their unusual selection of ‘Lena’, a spokesperson for the couple explained simply, ‘It was just a name they liked.’

As the name is lesser known that monikers like ‘George’ and ‘Charlotte’, the couple has also explained how their daughter’s name is pronounced, explaining that it phonetically as ‘Lay-na’.

Lena Elizabeth won’t have a title however, known instead as Miss Tindall.

REX

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson announced the happy news of Lena Elizabeth’s arrival last week, releasing the following statement:

‘Mrs Michael Tindall was safely delivered of a baby girl on 18th June, at Stroud Maternity Unit. Mr Tindall was present at the birth. The weight of the baby was 9lbs 3oz.’

The statement continued: ‘The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Mike’s parents, Mr Philip and Mrs Linda Tindall, have been informed and are delighted with the news. The baby’s name will be confirmed in due course.’

The statement continued: ‘This baby is the second child for Zara and Mike, the fourth grandchild for The Princess Royal and the seventh great-grandchild for The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.’

Zara and Mike already share four-year-old daughter Mia, who Mike called their ‘saving grace’ when the couple tragically suffered a miscarriage in 2016.

Huge congratulations to Zara and Mike on their new arrival.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.