Reports of the twins’ birth started circulating in June from media outlets, including People and Entertainment Tonight, which cited anonymous sources. Baby fever ensued on social media. Beyoncé’s husband, the rapper Jay-Z, referred to their birth on his new album, “4:44,” which he released on June 30. Still, Beyoncé stayed silent.

In the end, she has done something uncommon in a world of 24-hour celebrity news. She has managed to keep tight control over the release of information about her pregnancy and delivery, revealing it on her own timeline and on her own terms. It’s in keeping with how this pop star has conducted all of her business over the last few years. As The New York Times noted in 2015, Beyoncé is seen but not heard: She rarely grants interviews, and when she does, she often answers queries by email. (In January she was the one asking the questions, speaking with her sister, Solange, for Interview magazine.)