The palace said in a statement that the duchess and the baby were “doing well” and would stay in hospital overnight. The news has been displayed on an ornate easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in line with tradition.
A bulletin signed by the Queen’s gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who led the medical team that delivered the baby – was taken by a royal aide from St Mary’s to the palace under police escort.
The press release said the Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth.“The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news,” it said.
Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: “I’m delighted for the Duke and Duchess now their son has been born. The whole country will celebrate. They’ll make wonderful parents.”And Labour leader Ed Miliband, also writing on Twitter, said: “Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. I wish them and their son all happiness and good health.”
The Duchess arrived at the hospital around 6am London time at a back entrance, bypassing a huge group of media which had been staking out the front door for weeks. It is not clear if the Duchess had been induced.
Royal sources have said the Duchess had planned a natural birth with Prince William to be at her side. The baby was delivered by Marcus Setchell, the Queen’s former gynaecologist.Palace officials were not expected to provide many details about how her labour was progressing.
The baby is in line to become Britain’s monarch and be recognized as head of state in 15 other countries, including Canada and Australia, playing a leading role in charting the future of the Commonwealth.But little else is known, including how the baby would arrive; it was not clear if Kate would have a natural birth or deliver by a caesarean section, its gender and its name.
The sex of the baby, who would be third in line to the throne behind Grandfather Prince Charles and father William, was unknown as the royal couple wanted it to be a surprise. Bookmakers have a girl as the firm favourite.
Newspapers have speculated the Duchess’s sister Pippa Middleton and mother Carole Middleton might be present for the birth while Queen Elizabeth will be among the first to be informed of the arrival.The crowd outside the Lindo Wing had swollen throughout the day and stretches for a block with media and onlookers jostling for space.
Police officers have been trying to keep the sidewalk open and a hospital entranceway clear.Jacqueline le Patourel rushed to the hospital while on her way home to Cornwall. She heard the news the Duchess had gone into labour on the radio and shouted to her sister: “The baby is coming.”
An announcement of the birth came via a written note, sent from the hospital in a special car to Buckingham Palace where it will be put on an easel just inside the fence. The note may include the baby’s name, although that could come later.
There was a 62-gun salute from the Tower of London and a light display along the River Thames. The London Eye ferris wheel were lit red, white and blue, and the fountains at Trafalgar Square took on a pink or blue glow depending on the sex of the child.Britain has been in high expectation for days about the royal birth ever since some media reports suggested the Duchess’s due date was July 13.
Since then there has been a frenzy of activity with media from around the world staking out spots in front of the Lindo Wing and souvenir vendors flogging everything from commemorative T-shirts, books, plates and mugs to royal baby potties.
The Royal Mint has already announced that every child born in Britain today will receive a special “lucky silver penny” worth about £28 a piece. The mint is also issuing a commemorative £5 coin in honour of the royal baby featuring St George and the Dragon.Largely lost amid all of the hype and expectation is the historical significance of the birth.
The British government recently changed the law of succession to give equal right to women. The change meant that if the Duchess has a girl she would become Queen even if the couple have another child who is a boy.
As the baby has arrived, the Duke and Duchess are expected to spend a couple of weeks together, possibly at the home of the Duchess’s parents in Buckelbury west of London. They then plan to move into an apartment at Kensington Palace, which has been renovated at a cost of £1m million. They will also have a 10-bedroom house on the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
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