Prince William’s wife Kate on
Monday gave birth to a baby
boy who will one day be heir to
the British throne, Kensington
Palace said in a statement.
Kate William
“Her Royal Highness The
Duchess of Cambridge was safely
delivered of a son at 4:24pm
(1524GMT),” said the
statement. “The baby weighs
8lbs 6oz. (3.8 kilos).”
The baby will be third in line to
the throne and in the direct line
of succession after head of
state Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest
son and heir Prince Charles, and
then his eldest son William.
“The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz. The
Duke of Cambridge was present
for the birth.”
The boy’s name was not
revealed, but he will be known
as Prince of Cambridge.
The former Kate Middleton was
admitted to the private Lindo
Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital,
Paddington, central London, at
around 6:00 am in the midst of a
summer thunderstorm.
The birth was later officially
announced to great cheers on a
golden easel placed in the
forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
US President Barack Obama’s
spokesman had earlier said that
he and the first family were
“waiting with anticipation” for
the birth and “wish the family
and all of Great Britain well on
this pending momentous
occasion.”
William, at his wife’s bedside,
has been on annual leave and will
take two weeks’ paternity
leave from his military job as a
Royal Air Force search and
rescue pilot.
Both mother and son were
“doing well” and will remain in
hospital overnight while the
queen was “delighted with the
news”, according to the palace.
The birth came later than widely
expected, adding to the sense of
anticipation that has built up
ever since William, whose mother
Diana died in a Paris car crash in
1997, and the former Kate
Middleton married with huge
fanfare in April 2011.
Bookmakers had largely backed
a girl baby, after Kate had said
they did not know its sex.
The fact that it is a boy relieves
the need to rush through new
succession laws across the 16
Commonwealth realms, which
would mean that a girl could no
longer be overtaken by any
future younger brothers.
The royal couple used a back
entrance to the hospital when
they arrived at 6:00 am (0500
GMT), missing the ranks of
international media who have
camped outside the hospital for
three weeks.
The prince was born in the same
hospital wing and media from
across the globe are hoping for
a repeat of the scene in 1982
when Charles and his first wife
Diana brought out the baby to
show him off to the world.
Royal fanatics gathering outside
the hospital also took their
excitement to a new level.
“I’m so excited. Like in a
washing machine. Never been so
high!” said John Loughrey, who
has slept outside the hospital for
seven nights, wrapped in a
British flag.
The new arrival is Queen
Elizabeth’s third great-
grandchild, and a first grandchild
for Charles.
It ensures that there are three
generations of heirs to the
crown of the United Kingdom of
England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland — a nuclear-
armed UN Security Council
permanent member and the
world’s sixth biggest economy.
The queen was seen arriving
back at Buckingham Palace from
Windsor Castle, just outside the
capital, in mid-afternoon but
other royals went about their
usual business.
Charles, the current heir, was
visiting York in northern England,
where members of the public
shouted “Congratulations!”.
Smiling, he replied: “Do you
know something I don’t?”
Charles, who turns 65 in
November, joked: “I’m very
grateful indeed for the kind
wishes for my rather slowly-
approaching grandfatherhood.”
Prime Minister David Cameron
sent his best wishes to the
couple and the “whole country
is excited.”
The pregnancy was announced in
December when Kate was
admitted to hospital with severe
morning sickness.
At the Lindo Wing, a standard
room and normal delivery —
which Kate is hoping for — costs
£4,965 ($7,600, 5,800 euros)
for the first 24 hours, plus
consultants’ fees which can
reach around £6,000.
The duchess is being tended by a
top medical team led by the
queen’s gynaecologist Alan
Farthing and his predecessor
Marcus Setchell.
On the pavement opposite the
hospital entrance, around 30
presenters lined up in a row
delivering live broadcasts and
clips, with photographers and
journalists filling out the scene.
There has been a betting frenzy
on the name of the royal
newborn with bookmakers
favouring a George and James
for the top boys’ names.
UNDER MAINTENANCE