A heavily pregnant countess made a public appearance three days ago

The baby, who weighs 4lb 9oz, was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 2332 GMT on Saturday.

The countess, 38, was admitted to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey from her home at Bagshot Park on Saturday night.

Both mother and baby are stable but the as yet unnamed baby has been transferred to a neo-natal unit at St George's Hospital in Tooting, London, "as a precaution", according to a Frimley hospital spokesman.

Sophie will remain in hospital "for the foreseeable future", the palace said.

Sophie's parents arrived with red and white carnations

The countess's parents Christopher and Mary Rhys-Jones spent more than an hour with their daughter at the hospital on Sunday.

Mr Rhys-Jones said afterwards that the countess was "absolutely fine", heavily sedated and rather sleepy.

The pregnancy had been progressing well and royal gynaecologist Marcus Setchell had expected to deliver the child early in December.

Buckingham Palace says the Queen is being kept regularly informed on the progress of both mother and baby.

"The Queen is pleased to hear that they are doing well," a palace spokesman said.

Earl returns

Mr Setchell was present at the hospital for the emergency operation, which was carried out by surgeon Sukhpal Singh with gynaecologist Anne Deans and midwife Adrienne Price.

SUCCESSION TO THE THRONE 1: Charles, the Prince of Wales 2: Prince William 3: Prince Harry 4: Andrew, the Duke of York 5: Princess Beatrice 6: Princess Eugenie 7: Edward, the Earl of Wessex 8: Edward and Sophie's child

The Earl of Wessex was on an official visit to Mauritius, but is flying home.

The Queen is being kept informed of events.

Prince Charles, attending a Remembrance ceremony in Oman, told reporters he was "delighted" at the news of the birth of his niece.

Sophie had been due to travel to London for Sunday's Remembrance Day service and parade at the Cenotaph with other members of the Royal Family.

The child, the first for the Queen's youngest son and his wife, is the Queen's seventh grandchild and eighth in line to the throne.

The birth follows a traumatic failed pregnancy in December 2001 when Sophie was airlifted to hospital after suffering an ectopic pregnancy.

Official engagements

Surgeons operated to remove the foetus from her fallopian tube after she was rushed to King Edward VII Hospital by air ambulance.

Doctors said that if the condition had continued undiagnosed, it could have been life-threatening.

The countess initially suspended official engagements in the early stages of her pregnancy, on doctors' advice, but had resumed duties by June.

Three days ago she opened new offices for the ChildLine charity in London.

When Edward and Sophie married in 1999, it was decided, with the Queen's agreement, that any children they had would not be called His or Her Royal Highness.

Instead, the couple's baby girl will take the title of Lady.