England footballer Harry Maguire has secretly had a daughter with fiancée Fern Hawkins

Harry Maguire revealed the news in a heartwarming Instagram post.

Yesterday, the 26-year-old footballer posted an adorable photo of his newborn baby daughter clutching his and his fiancée Fern’s hands with the caption: ‘Welcome Lillie Saint Maguire’.

After managing to keep her pregnancy secret for nine months, Harry’s partner Fern Hawkins (picture with him above) posted the same image to her own account.

The new mum wrote: ‘A little project I have been working on for the last 9 months. Lillie Saint Maguire. You have stolen our hearts my precious angel xox’.

Harry’s post has already been liked more than 75,000 times and had over 900 comments from friends and fans. The Only Way Is Essex’s Mario Falcone was one of the first to congratulate the couple, writing: ‘Ah congratulations @_fernhawkins and @harrymaguire93 amazing news!’

Harry’s footballer friends were also quick to reach out. ‘Congratulations lad,’ wrote Jose Baxter. ‘Hope mum and baby are all well.’

‘Thanks everyone,’ Harry replied. ‘Both Fern and Lillie doing great.’

Harry’s followers couldn’t get enough of the sweet image either. ‘Congratulations,’ wrote one. ‘So cute this could heal England post-Brexit.’

Others couldn’t help but point out that Lillie’s birth seemed to coincide with the nine-month anniversary of England’s win against Colombia in the World Cup. On 3rd July 2018, England won a penalty shoot-out for the first time, beating Colombia 4-3.

‘On this day 9 months ago….. Didn’t England beat Colombia?’ asked one fan.

‘I think the celebrations after that Colombia win went a bit too far,’ joked another.

‘The World Cup effect,’ another wag noted.

Harry, who plays for Leicester City, scored his first goal for England in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, when they beat Sweden 2-0. Fern was pictured cheering him on from the stands, wearing a dazzling diamond engagement ring.

The couple got engaged in February 2018, during a romantic Parisian holiday. Fern revealed the news on Instagram, writing: ‘On Saturday night, Harry made me the happiest girl in the world & asked me to marry him in the most perfect way.’