Princess Maria Laura of Belgium has welcomed her first child, a baby boy named Albert, in a surprise announcement on January 29. The Belgian Royal Palace shared that Albert was born on January 26 in Brussels, weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces. Both mother and baby are doing well, and the families of the new parents are delighted by the arrival.

The announcement came as a complete surprise, as the couple had kept their pregnancy private. The palace also released the first photo of baby Albert, showing him peacefully sleeping in a cream-colored outfit with a plush toy beside him.

Maria Laura, 36, married British investment banker William Isvy in a glamorous wedding in Brussels in September 2022. Albert’s name is a tribute to her grandfather, King Albert, who reigned from 1993 to 2013. Albert now holds the 11th position in line to the Belgian throne.

Although the announcement didn’t confirm whether Albert would receive a royal title, Maria Laura’s older brother’s children hold archduke or archduchess titles. It remains unclear if Maria Laura has chosen the same for her son.

The birth of baby Albert was announced on the same day as Princess Beatrice’s second child, Athena Elizabeth Rose, with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Athena was born on January 22, ahead of her expected spring arrival, and both mother and baby are said to be healthy.