Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's daughter Lilibet was born at all-women founded 1888 hospital

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s daughter Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born on Friday at 11:40, June 4, at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, which was founded by 50 women more than 130 years ago. Located at about two hours outside Los Angeles, the luxury hospital was chosen by the Sussexes as it was established in 1888 by the pioneering women around the time when the city’s population was just close to 5,000. The hospital elected Mary Ashley as its first Board President.

It’s a non-profit organization that delivers 2,400 babies each year that costs $14,179, while a Caesarian section is priced at $28,358, according to the UK news reports. On its website, the hospital explains that since its official opening on December 8, 1891, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital “has never closed its doors”. It continued, “caring for patients through challenging times — the 1918 flu epidemic, the 1925 earthquakes, and various floods and fires.” The British Duchess named her second child in tribute to the Royal Family and her mother-in-law Princess Diana as well as the 95-year-old British monarch Queen Elizabeth II. Lilibet is a family nickname for Britain’s Queen. 

10-minutes drive for Sussexes

The hospital that the couple chose to give birth to their child is just a 10-minutes drive from their house in Montecito. The hospital explains on its website that it was established by the women who "recognized it was time for the growing community to have a hospital.” The founding women initially raised $6,000 to build the city's first hospital. This is also where the US singer Katy Perry chose to give birth to her child. On on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert, The Duke of Sussex Prince Harry said that they had become friends with the Hollywood stars. The hospital particularly has been dedicated to women who worked through some of history's most difficult times. It is also equipped with ace facilities like Wi-Fi and jacuzzi birthing rooms.

[Credit: Instagram/@cottagehealth]

"The name 'Cottage' was based on the original idea of constructing individual cottages to house various departments. This idea proved to be too costly, so a modest 25-bed redwood building was constructed," the hospital said in a statement on the website. “For 125 years, our hospital has been shaped by the generosity of the patients and families we care for every day.” 

In a statement earlier, Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their daughter Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. "Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 am in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital," the statement read, adding that the child weighed in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces (3.49 kilos) and "both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home.”