Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, has given birth to a baby Boy
It’s a boy: The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a baby son (Picture: PA)
The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a baby son.
The royal baby was delivered at 4.24pm, weighing 8lb 6oz, Kensington Palace confirmed, while a name will be announced ‘in due course’.
Both mother and baby are said to be doing well at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, central London, and will remain there overnight.
Her husband, Prince William, was present at the birth.
The happy couple: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed their first child (Picture: PA)
The couple’s first child becomes the third in line to the throne, pushing William’s brother Harry down to fourth.
Kate Middleton was admitted to the Lindo wing of St Mary’s Hospital, in Paddington, central London – where Prince William and Harry were born – at 6am on Monday morning.
The couple, both 31, travelled to the hospital by car, without a police escort, and managed to avoid the majority of the world’s press, who have camped outside the hospital for the last few weeks.
The Duchess was tended to by a top medical team led by the Queen’s former gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who delivered the Countess of Wes+++’s two children.
Watching and waiting: The world’s press outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London where the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth (Picture: PA)
The couple, who married in April 2011, announced that they were expecting their first child in December.
They were forced to reveal the news before the pregnancy reached the 12-week stage after Kate was admitted to King Edward VII hospital suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – severe morning sickness.
During her stay in hospital two Australian DJs managed to obtain private details of Kate’s condition during a prank phone call.
Days later Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who transferred the call, was found dead after apparently killing herself.
The royal couple subsequently issued a statement saying they were ‘deeply saddened by the news’.
The Duchess of Cambridge has become a mother (Picture: PA)
After recovering at home Kate made her first public appearance after leaving hospital at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony later that month, presenting cyclist Bradley Wiggins with the award.
Her last public appearance saw the Duchess of Cambridge attend the annual Trooping the Colour parade, marking the Queen’s 87th birthday.
Last week the monarch joked about the imminent arrival of the newest member of her family, saying she hoped the baby would be born before she went on holiday to her private Balmoral estate in Scotland.
Kate’s due date was believed to be July 13, with Clarence House only saying the baby was expected ‘mid-July’.
The Duchess of Cornwall hinted Kate was overdue last week, saying the royals were ‘waiting by the telephone’ and that they were ‘hopeful that by the end of the week he or she will be here’.
On Monday morning Clarence House confirmed on Twitter that the Duchess of Cambridge was in labour, with the announcement of the new arrival coming shortly after 8.20pm.
New arrival: The latest addition to the royal family has been born (Picture: PA)
The announcement was due to be made in the traditional manner, with a bulletin posted on an easel outside Buckingham Palace, but in the event the news was confirmed before the notice was displayed.
It is believed the next time the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be seen in public is when they appear on the steps of the hospital with their baby.
History suggests it will be a few days before the couple announce the name of their new arrival.
When William was born in 1982, his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, waited seven days before deciding upon and announcing his name.
The Prince of Wales’s name, however, remained a mystery for an entire month and was only declared ahead of his baptism at Buckingham Palace in December 1948.
The future monarch will one day be the head of state in 16 countries and head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations and two billion citizens.
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