Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, has given birth to a "cute and cuddly" baby boy.

The countess - the wife of Britain's Prince Edward - had a Caesarean section to deliver the 6lb 2oz baby yesterday in a private suite of Surrey's Frimley Park Hospital.

Speaking to reporters outside the hospital, Edward said, "I'd describe him as small, cute and cuddly. Sophie will be here for a couple of days, recovering from the experience, but otherwise she is doing very well."

Edward, the Earl of Wessex, also explained the royal couple will get to know their new child before deciding on a name, although his official title will be the Viscount of Severn.

He added, "We didn't know what we were going to get. You've got to get to know the small person who's just come into the world before you pick a name."

A spokesman for the royal couple said, "They are thrilled, absolutely thrilled. Sophie is in tremendous form, and is chatting away. They are both delighted."

Sophie and Edward already have a four-year-old daughter, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor.

Lady Louise was delivered by an emergency Caesarean operation at the same Surrey hospital after Sophie complained of severe internal pains, found to be the result of drastic blood loss.

In 2002, Sophie had a miscarriage after suffering from an ectopic pregnancy and had to have surgery to remove the fetus from her fallopian tube.

Due to her history of difficult pregnancies, royal gynecologist Marcus Setchwell, who oversaw the Caesarean, ensured Sophie had frequent health checks and was regularly monitored.

Viscount Severn is the eighth grandchild for Britain's Queen Elizabeth, and is also eighth-in-line to the British throne.