WINDSOR, England — The improbable love story between an American actress and a British royal took the best of all possible turns Monday with the arrival of a healthy baby boy.

The as-yet-unnamed baby arrived less than a year after Prince Harry wed Meghan Markle in a spectacular televised event on the grounds of Windsor Castle that was watched the world over.

Meghan is now the Duchess of Sussex, but she still does things her own way: The couple bucked royal tradition by declining to say where the baby was born and opting not to come out to pose with the newborn just hours after the birth.

Instead, an obviously overjoyed Harry emerged to tell the world — via its waiting TV cameras — that a baby had been born. It marked a moment the nation is likely to remember as a once-troubled boy undone by the death of his mother Princess Diana in 1997 car crash seemed giddy in his embrace of fatherhood.

“This little thing is absolutely to die for,” the ginger-haired, bearded prince said. “I’m just over the moon.”

The baby weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces (3.26 kilograms) at birth and was born at 5:26 a.m. (0426 GMT; 12:26 a.m. EDT). Harry said their son was a little bit overdue and that had given the royal couple more time to contemplate names.

Harry promised that more details — such as the baby’s name — will be shared in the coming days.

Harry and the palace didn’t immediately provide details on whether the baby was born at a hospital or if it was a home birth. The royal couple had earlier said they wanted to keep details private.

The infant is seventh in line to the British throne and is the eighth great-grandchild of 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch.

It is a satisfying moment for the queen as the monarchy grows in popularity in part because of public affection for Harry, his older brother Prince William, and their two wives, Meghan and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.

Harry, the 34-year-old son of Prince Charles, said he was present at the birth.

“It’s been the most amazing experience I could ever have possibly imagined,” he said. “How any woman does what they do is beyond comprehension.

“We’re both absolutely thrilled and so grateful for all the love and support from everybody out there. It’s been amazing, so we just wanted to share this with everybody,” he said.

Word that the baby had been born was withheld while senior members of the royal family, including the queen, were told. Princess Diana’s family was also informed.

Buckingham Palace said minutes before 2 p.m. that Meghan had gone into labor (in fact the baby had already been born) and Harry emerged less than an hour later to announce the birth in person.

Harry’s dramatic announcement, and his obvious pleasure, sparked cheers among royal fans and well-wishers who had gathered outside the imposing grounds of Windsor Castle hoping to hear the news.

“Cheers to the newborn baby boy! Hip hip hooray!” said 64-year-old John Loughrey, popping open a bottle of sparkling wine. He was clad in head-to-toe Union flags and royal family memorabilia to mark the occasion.

Some people in Windsor said it would provide a welcome respite from the continuing political stalemate over Brexit. Londoners Pam and Keith Jonson said the news will provide a boost to peoples’ spirits.

“You can tell by people around,” Pam Jonson said. “Lifts everybody a bit. Definitely. With all that’s been going recently. It’s nice uplift actually.”

Buckingham Palace said Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, was also with her daughter and was overjoyed with the baby’s arrival.

Harry said he planned to make another announcement, probably in two days’ time, “so everyone can see the baby.” It’s expected they will pose for a family picture at that point.

The arrival of a boy was something of a surprise because Britain’s legal bookmakers several weeks ago stopped accepting bets on the baby’s sex because so many people had placed bets on the baby being a girl.

Bookmakers came to the conclusion that the rumor the baby was a girl must have been based on some type of leak from a person in the know.

Meghan has brought something new and different to the royal family. She is an American who enjoyed a successful career in show business before joining “the firm,” as the royals are known to many.

The child will be eligible for dual citizenship, but Harry and Meghan have not said whether they plan to apply for American status.

Harry has long spoken of his desire to start a family. He had several serious relationships, but they collapsed in part because of the pressure of constant press scrutiny, leading Harry to vow to protect Meghan from intrusive reporting. He has complained publicly about a racist undertone in coverage of Meghan, who has a white father and an African-American mother.

Harry and Meghan recently moved from central London to a secluded house known as Frogmore Cottage near Windsor Castle, 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of London. The move is seen as reflecting a desire for privacy as they raise their first child.

It also separates Harry and Meghan from William and his wife Kate, who had been living in the same compound at Kensington Palace in central London with their three children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — the new baby’s cousins.

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Story: Gregory Katz and Mstyslav Chernov

YANGON, Myanmar — Two Reuters journalists who were imprisoned for breaking Myanmar’s Official Secrets Act over reporting on security forces’ abuses of Rohingya Muslims were pardoned and released Tuesday, the prison chief and witnesses said.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were freed after President Win Myint issued a blanket pardon for 6,520 prisoners, said Zaw Zaw, chief of Yangon’s Insein Prison.

Myanmar’s Supreme Court on April 23 rejected the journalists’ final appeal against their seven-year prison terms. Their convictions were related to reporting on security forces’ abuses of the Muslim Rohingya minority. The reporters and their supporters had said they were framed because of official displeasure over their reporting.

“We are enormously pleased that Myanmar has released our courageous reporters, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo,” said a statement issued by Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler. “Since their arrests 511 days ago, they have become symbols of the importance of press freedom around the world. We welcome their return.”

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, last month shared with their Reuters colleagues the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, one of journalism’s highest honors.

Myanmar’s military launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine in 2017, driving more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

The Reuters reporters had worked on an investigation of the killings of 10 Rohingya villagers in Inn Din village, for which the government last year said seven soldiers were sentenced to up 10 years in prison with hard labor.

The reporters were arrested in December 2017 and sentenced last September after being accused of illegally possessing official documents, a violation of the colonial-era Official Secrets Act.

Family members of the two freed men were elated.

Chit Su Win, the wife of Kyaw Soe Oo, said she was waiting at home with their child to be reunited with her husband.

She said she doesn’t know how to express her feelings, but “Now the three of us can hug each other and we are so happy for that.”

Thura Aung, the brother of Wa Lone said “We’re so happy that they got released today. We heard that they would be on the amnesty list. Now it is actually happening, I am so glad for that.”

The United Nations office in Myanmar said it welcomed the release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.

“The U.N. in Myanmar considers the release of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo a step toward improving the freedom of the press and a sign of Government’s commitment to Myanmar’s transition to democracy,” it said in an emailed statement.

NEW YORK — Cardi B swept by in a stunning red quilted dress accentuated with a matching sequin headpiece, feathers and a train that took up much of the pink carpet, Jared Leto was accompanied by his own (fake) head and Katy Perry came as a candled chandelier at the crazy, campy Met Gala on Monday night.

Lady Gaga used the carpet as a runway and a changing station — earning giggles and claps from Anna Wintour — and Tiffany Haddish brought fried chicken in a plastic bag as many of the A-list guests worked the camp theme to the max. That included Zendaya, whose Cinderella Tommy Hilfiger dress went aglow with the wave of a magic wand. She dropped one of her see-through slippers on the way up the long staircase at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the cocktail hour.

Also princessy, of the saucy variety: Nicki Minaj in a short pink Prabal Gurung dress with yards and yards to her train, the last star to walk the carpet.

Perry, whose look was created by Jeremy Scott for Moschino, said she wanted to be “of the light,” though she appeared concerned her heavy looking headpiece would topple as she smiled and walked precariously up the stairs, designer Diane von Furstenberg briefly in her orbit as Lady Liberty.

Perry, Bella Hadid dished, “had to be trucked here in a UPS truck.” (She changed from chandelier to a fully loaded Moschino burger for dinner).

Emily Ratajkowski channeled Cher in a barely there silver dress by Dundas and wing-like headpiece with feathers and hanging crystal strands by the House of Malakai. Tom Ford dressed Gemma Chan, who wore a custom headdress inspired by Elizabeth Taylor, and Versace created a jaw-dropping sparkler for Jennifer Lopez. She wore a 129.48-carat purple and diamond sapphire by Harry Winston around her neck.

Lupita Nyong’o spent four hours getting ready in a rainbow, cool chick getup, her hair high and packed with golden Afro picks. Leto wore a red caftan with jewel loops, cradling his long-haired macabre version of himself, and Tracee Ellis Ross posed inside a gold picture frame attached to the front of her black dress. She noted it’s detachable for the dinner hour, thank goodness.

Regina King, in a copper sequin Oscar de la Renta gown with a large shoulder embellishment, said she wasn’t ready to go full camp, so she stuck to high lacquered hair.

“So, glamour is camp,” the Oscar-winner said. “Maybe next year the comfort level will have expanded.”

The 71st annual gala hit a high point early with Lady Gaga working the pink carpet to its fullest in long golden eyelashes and a huge fuchsia dress, peeling off layer after layer until she was down to a bra, panties and fishnet stockings.

Billy Porter went Egyptian-esque sun god in gold wings and a chain head piece by the design duo the Blonds, carried onto the carpet by shirtless men in gold pants as he lay on top of a black throne.

“Camp is the art of being extra and I’ve always been extra,” he laughed. “I’m from the theater so it’s easy for me.”

Brandon Maxwell, who created Gaga’s reveal, helped her navigate the stairs as she posed with several helpers. Maxwell undressed her further, revealing a black strapless asymmetrical ballgown underneath with a huge side bustle. Then she undressed again to show off a pink dress reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” walking up and down the carpet.

But she wasn’t done. Moments later, she was down to a glittering bra and panties set, with huge platform shoes.

Gaga is a hard act to follow but Serena Williams, one of her co-hosts, did her best in a neon yellow flowing custom Versace gown adorned with leaves, Nike sneakers on her feet. She was one of several athletes to attend, including Cam Newton, Dwyane Wade with wife Gabrielle Union, and Tom Brady with Gisele Bundchen on his arm.

Colin Kaepernick also made an appearance wearing Pyer Moss.

This year’s gala theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” was inspired by a seminal 1964 essay by Susan Sontag in which she describes the phenomenon as something that shan’t be talked about: “To talk about Camp is therefore to betray it.”

The theme is chosen for the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition and gala guests are encouraged to take it on.

Karlie Kloss wore a custom gold Dapper Dan-Gucci cocktail dress; singer Anderson .Paak, wearing Gucci, was fanboyed on the carpet by Ferragamo-dressed Taron Egerton, who was asked what his upcoming film character, Elton John, would think of the night’s vibe: “He kind of invented it, right?”

Haddish, in a black-and-silver tiger stripe “Pimperella” Michael Kors pantsuit with wide bells at the ankles, a glitzy hat on her head, said she vowed not to go snackless this year, hence the fried chicken.

“I bring my own snacks because last year I was starving and I learned my lesson,” she said. Of the theme, she declared: “Camping means no panties!” She noted that during her broke days, “I used to buy knock-off Michael Kors everything. Now here I am several years later wearing Michael Kors, for me, designed for me.”

Harry Styles offered a tad of see-through via his custom Gucci organza shirt with black lace, donning a single bee earing and heeled booties. Kacey Musgraves, in custom Moschino, was a proper pink Barbie with long platinum hair, while Gigi Hadid walked with the designer of her look, Kors, offering a silver cat woman style in a swirl-pattern jumpsuit, long coat and helmet-like hat, with long spiked white eyelashes.

Awkwafina breezed through in trophy gold, accompanied by designer Joseph Altuzarra, while others in garish greens, animal prints and metallics soaked up the theme. Some played it safe in more traditional carpet looks, like Hailey Bieber in a lovely, tight pink dress with a daring — but not terribly campy — low back.

Also not particularly camp, and not particularly high-fashion, for that matter: Gwyneth Paltrow in a loose ruffle-neck pale yellow gown by Chloe.

Naomi Campbell wore pink with a long, feathered cape, lace leggings and low barely-there neckline. And Joan Collins, perhaps the queen of camp, posed with her in a white puffy gown reminiscent of Scarlet O’Hara.

Kim Kardashian West was dewy in tight, tight, tight couture Thierry Mugler, husband Kanye West stone-faced silent at her side in a Dickey’s zip jacket. Sister Kylie Jenner went for purple from her loose dyed hair to her big feather-muff sleeves, giving partner Travis Scott a peck on the lips as she walked.

Janelle Monae, always evocative on the carpet, balanced multiple hats piled high on her head wearing a pink and black gown with a black-and-white eye covering her breast on one side, courtesy of designer Christian Siriano.

Wintour, who masterminds the gala every year, wore a light pink cape with loose ostrich feathers over a matching gown adorned in a flower sequin design. She told waiting reporters this year’s theme is anything goes.

“I hope they have a lot of fun,” she said of her A-list guests. “The more crazy the better.”

Story: Leanne Italie