The Queen has a new great-grandchild today after her granddaughter, Zara Phillips, gave birth to her first child, a daughter.

The new royal baby, who weighed 7lbs 12oz and is 16th in line to the throne, is the Queen's fourth great grandchild.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Mike's parents, Mr Phillip and Mrs Linda Tindall, have been informed and are delighted with the news.

"The baby's name will be confirmed in due course."

Prime Minister David Cameron sent a message to the happy couple in a tweet - using the hashtag #royalbaby - to say: "Many congratulations to Zara and Mike Tindall on the birth of their baby girl."

The baby was born with none of the hysteria surrounding the birth of Prince George this summer.

Just a few reporters, mainly from local news outlets, were outside the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital today, when Zara, together with her husband English rugby player Mike Tindall at her side, left the hospital and headed home.

Zara Phillips is a private citizen, and not a working member of the royal family. She does not carry the honorific title HRH as she is descended through the female line.

In many ways the absence of an HRH title has been a blessing to his are her was forged a successful career as an Olympian show jumper, winning an Olympic silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

Zara won a silver medal at London 2012 with eventing equestrian teammates William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Tina Cook and Nicola Wilson, and is planning to take part in the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.

She married former rugby international Tindall in July 2011 in a ceremony attended by the Queen and senior royals.