NEWS

Queen Latifah welcomes Beyonc's baby

9th January 2012

Queen Latifah has welcomed Beyonc Knowles and Jay-Z's new baby "to Earth".

The actress has been juggling a hectic work schedule recently. However, she was eager to send her well wishes to her close friends.

Beyonc gave birth to daughter Blue Ivy Carter on Saturday night in New York City and Latifah can't wait to meet the new arrival.

"Yes, I know them well. I have been meaning to at least tweet all day but I have been very busy working. But I am very happy for them. Congratulations Jigga, B.," she told ET. "Welcome baby. Welcome to Earth little baby Blue."

Beyonc's sister Solange Knowles has also expressed her delight at the birth of her new niece.

"The most beautiful girl in the world," Solange tweeted.

Beyonc gave birth at Lenox Hill hospital. The superstar couple are believed to have splashed out $1.3 million to hire an entire floor of the medical facility to ensure they had privacy.

According to TMZ, the hospital held a meeting leading up to the delivery to discuss a "security plan".

Executives are believed to have discussed their strategy with an impressive team of security on Friday hours before Beyonc arrived.

Strict security was in force soon after the meeting finished with security cameras being taped up and staff reportedly asked to hand in cell phones.

The 30-year-old star is said to have checked in on Friday night under the pseudonym Ingrid Jackson'.

The preparations appear to have paid off as no images have surfaced of the new parents or their daughter.

However, a man from Brooklyn claims he was prevented from visiting his prematurely born twins.

Neil Coulon told the New York Daily News that he has repeatedly been kept away from the neonatal intensive care unit by the security team.

"Three times they stopped me from entering or exiting the NICU and it happened once on Friday - just because they wanted to use the hallway," he alleged.

A representative for the hospital has insisted she hasn't personally heard of any complaints.

"We take patient satisfaction very seriously," Anne Silverman told The News. "This is the first time I'm hearing about it."

Tags: Beyonce Knowles, Queen Latifah,