Kate Middleton gave birth to a baby boy hours after she was admitted to hospital in London in the early stages of labour to deliver her and Prince William’s third child on Monday, Kensington Palace said.
“Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs. The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well,” a Kensington Palace statement said.
The countdown to the royal baby began earlier this month as barriers and parking restrictions sprung up at the London hospital where the new-born, the fifth in line to Britain’s throne, is to be welcomed.
Kensington Palace had not revealed the baby’s due date but it was expected that notices would go up around St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington a couple of weeks before the birth, at the Lindo Wing where Kate gave birth to Prince George and Princess Charlotte. The yellow notices put up outside the Lindo Wing refer to an “event” and suspended parking on the street from April 9 until April 30.
Some reports had been speculating on the due date being April 23 but Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has gone beyond her due date for both her previous pregnancies – George in 2013 and Charlotte in 2015 – leading to what was dubbed as the “Great Kate Wait” as journalists, photographers and fans from around the world gathered outside the hospital to catch a glimpse of the royals.
The new prince is the fifth in line to the British throne, behind big sister Charlotte and pushing uncle Prince Harry one place down the line of succession to sixth. He will be the sixth great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrated her 92nd birthday on Saturday.
A change in the law after Prince William, 35, and Kate, 36, were married in April 2011 gave female heirs the same rights of accession to the throne in the UK as men.
Kate suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, or severe levels of nausea and vomiting, during the early stages of her pregnancy during all three births.
A formally signed bulletin will be placed outside Buckingham Palace announcing the news of the new-born after William has informed his grandmother, the Queen, and other members of the royal family now that the baby is born.
Prince William and Kate had chosen not to find out if they are having a boy or girl, but bookies were favouring a girl. Albert, Arthur, Frederick and James are among the top choices for names of the newest British prince.
