The world was awaiting for the first
glimpse of Britain's royal baby
Tuesday with media camping outside
London's St. Mary's Hospital to
capture a photograph of Prince
William and Kate Middleton's first
child, a boy who is now third in line to
the British throne.
Hundreds of Britons and tourists
broke into song and dance outside
the palace gates as officials
announced that the future king was
born at 4:24 p.m. Monday, weighing 8
pounds, 6 ounces, at the central
London hospital — the same place
where William and his brother Harry
were born three decades ago.
"We would like to thank the staff at the
Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for
the tremendous care the three of us
have received," William and Kate said
in a statement released by Kensington
Palace on Tuesday. "We know it has
been a very busy period for the
hospital and we would like to thank
everyone -- staff, patients and visitors
-- for their understanding during this
time."
A Kensington Palace spokesman also
said that "Mother, son and father are
all doing well this morning."
The couple is expected to leave the
hospital either later Tuesday or
Monday morning. The baby's name
has not yet been announced.
The imminent arrival of the royal baby
was the subject of endless speculation
on social media and was covered for
days on live television around the
world, but in the end the royal family
managed to keep it a remarkably
private affair.
In line with royal tradition, a terse
statement Monday announced only
the time of birth, the infant's gender
and that mother and child were doing
well. It gave no information about the
baby's name, and officials would say
only that a name would be
announced "in due course."
"Her Royal Highness and her child are
both doing well and will remain in
hospital overnight," Monday's
statement said. William also issued a
brief statement, saying "we could not
be happier."
Officials said William, who was by his
wife's side during the birth, would
also spend the night in the hospital.
William's press aides had talked about
preserving Kate's "dignity" throughout
the pregnancy, and the way the birth
was handled showed that the palace's
impressive stagecraft could give the
royals a bubble of privacy even in the
age of Twitter and 24-hour news
broadcasts.
Just before 6 a.m., 31-year-old Kate,
also known as the Duchess of
Cambridge, entered the hospital
through a side door, avoiding the
mass of journalists camped outside.
Officials did not announce she was
hospitalized until more than an hour
later.
Later, as the world media gathered
outside to fill hours of airtime with
speculation, the baby's birth went
unannounced for nearly four hours,
allowing the royal couple the private
time they needed to act like a regular
family — a goal 31-year-old William
has cherished.
He was able to tell his father, Prince
Charles, and grandmother, Queen
Elizabeth II, about the birth and enjoy
his wife's company without having to
cope with the overwhelming media
and public desire for information.
By nightfall, the public still knew very
few details, but most people seemed
satisfied with the day's events.
London's landmarks, including the
London Eye, lit up in the national
colors of red, white and blue, and the
city had a party atmosphere
unmatched since last summer's
Olympics.
Outside the hospital, a man dressed
as a town crier in traditional robes
and an extravagant feathered hat
shouted the news and rang a bell.
A car carrying the announcement
drove from the hospital to the palace,
where the news was greeted with
shrieks of "It's a boy!" and strains of
"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." A large
crowd rushed against the palace
fences to catch a glimpse of an
ornate, gilded easel displaying a small
bulletin formally announcing the
news.
The framed sheet of paper became
the target of a thousand camera
flashes as people thrust their
smartphones through the railings.
Hours after the initial announcement,
crowds were still surging forward to
get near the easel. Some placed
presents and bouquets in front of the
palace, while others waved Union Jack
flags and partied on the streets to
celebrate.
"It's a crazy atmosphere. Everyone is
getting very excited," said Andrew
Aitchison. "It's great to be part of
history, to say we were here and saw
it all happen."
More celebrations are expected
Tuesday, including gun salutes by
royal artillery companies to honor the
birth. Riders in uniform will trot past
the palace to Green Park, where six
field guns will fire 41 blank rounds.
Prince Charles spoke of his joy and
pride in becoming a grandparent for
the first time.
"It is an incredibly special moment for
William and Catherine and we are so
thrilled for them on the birth of their
baby boy," Prince Charles said in a
statement. "Grandparenthood is a
unique moment in anyone's life, as
countless kind people have told me in
recent months, so I am enormously
proud and happy to be a grandfather
for the first time, and we are eagerly
looking forward to seeing the baby in
the near future."
It could be some time before the
baby's name is made public. When
William was born, a week passed
before his name was announced.
Charles' name remained a mystery for
an entire month.
The royal birth at St. Mary's Hospital
recalled that of the baby's father,
William, in 1982. Many remember the
moment when he was carried out in
Princess Diana's arms with proud
father Prince Charles at their side.
The baby's gender had been of
particular interest because the
prospect of Kate's pregnancy had
prompted a change in the laws of
succession to ensure that a daughter
would not be passed over for the
crown by a younger brother.
No one can tell what political and
personal changes the intervening
years will bring, but the baby can be
expected to become the head of state
of 16 countries, including Britain,
Australia and Canada. The child will
also eventually become Supreme
Governor of the Church of England.
The little prince represents a living link
to Britain's imperial history as the
great-great-great-great-great-
grandchild of Queen Victoria, who
ruled at the peak of British power.
Many Britons had hoped that William
and Kate would start a family shortly
after their gala 2011 wedding, which
drew a global television audience in
the hundreds of millions.
The couple waited, however, until
William was nearly finished with his
military work as a search-and-rescue
helicopter pilot based at an air base in
a remote island off the coast of Wales.
That allowed Kate to ease into royal
life, and to become more comfortable
in the spotlight, before becoming a
parent. It also allowed her to play a
supporting role during Queen
Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee
celebrations last summer.
The first months of her pregnancy
were not easy, and she was
hospitalized in early December with
acute morning sickness that left her
weak and dehydrated. She seemed to
recover her stamina fairly quickly and
made a series of public appearances
until the final weeks, drawing praise
for her poise and good cheer.
The royal couple and their newborn
are expected to spend much of their
time in the coming years in renovated
quarters at Kensington Palace, where
William and Harry also spent much of
their childhood.
Royal officials say Kate and William will
try to give their child as normal an
upbringing as possible, a challenging
goal in an age when the British royals
are treated as major world celebrities.
"He'll have to be protected all the
time," said Edward Bentley, from near
London. "But they'll make him seem
normal and connected to the public
for sure."
Posts
