The Countess of Wessex and her baby are both ?doing well?, Prince Edward has said, after seeing his daughter for the first time. The baby was born a month early after Sophie became ill and underwent an emergency Caesarean section operation.

The baby was immediately transferred to a London neo-natal unit ?as a precaution?, while the countess remained in hospital in Surrey.

The prince, who was in Mauritius at the time of the birth, flew back to visit his wife and new daughter on Sunday night. He said he was ?thrilled to bits? at the birth of his first child who was ?doing very well indeed?.

Sophie was also well despite the ?fraught? birth at 2332 GMT on Saturday. He immediately flew home and rushed to Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, where his wife is still recovering.

After spending more than an hour with her, he told reporters : ?I am rather shocked at the moment but delighted, just thrilled to bits. I have seen Sophie, she is doing well ? she has also had a bit of a fraught time of it,? he told reporters outside the hospital. Sophie was ?inevitably? upset not to be with her daughter, he added. ?We are hoping one or the other gets well soon enough so they can be together.?

The prince then travelled to St George?s Hospital in Tooting, south London, where he spent an hour and 15 minutes with his first child and said she was ?doing very well, doing very well indeed?. Edward said he was very sorry he had not been able to play a part in the birth, having arrived 13 hours after the operation.

The child, whose name has not yet been announced, is the first of the Queen?s grandchildren to be born at an NHS hospital.

Sophie is expected to remain in hospital for another four days, Buckingham Palace said. The Queen was said to be ?pleased to hear that they are doing well?, a spokesman added. The birth follows a traumatic failed pregnancy in December 2001 when Sophie was airlifted to hospital after suffering a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy.