Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Broke Protocol During Archie's Birth

We knew for months that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were planning on doing things their own way when it came to the birth of their first child, Archie, who arrived in the world on Monday. The couple had previously said in statements from Buckingham Palace that they wanted to maintain privacy during their child's birth—which meant bucking certain royal traditions. For instance, Markle would forgo getting her picture taken outside of St. Mary's hospital post-birth the way Kate Middleton did with her three kids.

And a new report from the Daily Mail reveals the lengths Prince Harry and Markle went to in order to keep the baby news under wraps until they were ready to share. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly waited to tell people that Markle was in labor until after their little boy had been born. And then, they made another radical move by putting the update on Instagram. When a traditional easel announcement appeared in front of Buckingham Palace almost 12 hours after the birth, the name of the medics who delivered the baby were left off—another break in custom.

The details of where and when Markle had the baby still haven't been confirmed, although rumors have swirled that the former actress was considering a doula and a natural birth. (Recent reports suggest though their plans changed last minute and Markle was quietly taken to a hospital near their new home at Frogmore Cottage.)

What is clear is how ecstatic the new parents are. Prince Harry made his first-ever public statement as a dad just after news of the baby came to light, and he seemed positively thrilled to tell everyone about his son.

"Mother and baby are doing incredibly well. It's been the most amazing experience I could ever possibly imagine," he said with clear excitement. "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 of everybody out there."

See more: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Royal Baby: Everything We Know So Far