It's a girl! Chelsea Clinton gives birth to baby daughter Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky

Chelsea Clinton has given birth to a baby girl named Charlotte.

The 34-year-old, whose husband is investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, tweeted the news to her 624,000 followers last night - four days before the expected due date.

She said: 'Marc and I are full of love, awe and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of our daughter, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky.' 

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It's a girl! Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky have celebrated the birth of their first child Charlotte

The baby is the first grandchild of Bill and Hillary Clinton, who have gushed at length about their excitement at a number of public speaking events in the past few months, and both retweeted their daughter's post.

Chelsea was last seen on Wednesday afternoon at the annual Clinton Global Initiative summit in New York's Sheraton Hotel, where she had been on her feet for three days straight. Read more & see it........

Despite resigning from her position as a specialist reporter for NBC in April, the former First Daughter, who was educated at Stanford, Oxford and Columbia universities, continued to work full-time for the Clinton Foundation up until she gave birth.

News of the birth will come as welcome news to supporters hoping Hillary Clinton will run for president since the former First Lady said she would wait until she became a grandmother before launching a second nomination bid.

A spokesman for the new parents, Kamyl Bazbaz, confirmed Clinton had the child on Friday.

As a result of the birth, new grandfather Bill has bowed out of a scheduled appearance to lend a hand to a pair of embattled Democratic candidates in Colorado.

Clinton was to speak at a fundraiser Saturday for Sen. Mark Udall. Gov. John Hickenlooper was also scheduled to be at the event. 

Both Democrats are locked in tight re-election battles with their Republican challengers. He has been travelling around the country to help the party this year. 

On Tuesday, Chelsea appeared on CNN with her growing baby bump as she revealed they had decided not to find out the gender of their first child until the birth as they wanted it to be a surprise.

'There are so few mysteries in life…any answer is a happy one,' Clinton told CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Tuesday. 

'So my husband and I decided that we would enjoy this mystery for the nine-plus months that we're granted, and we are eager to find out what God will have given us.'  

The name Charlotte dates back to the 1700s, and means 'freedom'.

It has long been a favourite among royals and political dynasties, and last year it was the 11th most popular girl names in the United States.

Chelsea Clinton's baby bump on display at awards ceremony

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Ecstatic: Bill Clinton seen arriving at the hospital yesterday. Today he retweeted his daughter's post to his 2.3million followers 

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Surprise! Chelsea and Marc elected not to find out the gender of their first child advance

Chelsea Clinton says parents pressure her to have a baby

The couple, who got married in July 2010, announced that they were expecting their first child in April. 

Chelsea and Marc never revealed the due date, sparking rife speculation in the last few weeks as her bump grew. 

On Sunday, Chelsea stepped out with her husband wearing a fitted white T-shirt that showed off her baby bump, accessorizing the look with a gold strand necklace.

The parents-to-be held hands as they strolled down the street on their way to a political event at New York's Gotham Bar and Grill. 

And the rumour-mill was sent spinning when Bill Clinton, who served as the 42nd US president between January 1993 and January 2001, revealed to CNN that the baby would come by next month.

During the television interview, the former U.S. President said: 'I hope by the first of October, I'll be a grandfather.'

Last week, Hillary Clinton also excited fans as she told a crowd at political steak fry in Indianola, Iowa: 'Bill and I are on constant grandchild watch. So don't be surprised if we suddenly go sprinting off the stage.'

When Chelsea announced her pregnancy during a Clinton Foundation event devoted to empowering young women, she told guests: 'Marc and I are very excited that we have our first child arriving later this year.

'I certainly feel all the better whether it's a girl or a boy that she or he will grow up in world filled with so many strong, young female leaders,' she added.

'I just hope that I will be as good a mom to my child and hopefully children as my mom was to me.'