JULY 23- It’s a boy! Prince William’s wife Kate Middleton, on July 22, gave birth to a baby boy at a hospital in London, as Britain raised a toast to the much-awaited arrival of its future King.
The royal couple’s first child, who under new laws to succession will remain third in line to the throne after Prince Charles and Prince William, was born with the Duke of Cambridge present beside Kate as she delivered the baby.
The palace statement said that the Duchess and the baby were “doing well” and would stay in hospital overnight.
“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,” the statement said.
The royal couple’s press secretary then stepped out of the hospital to hand over the official bulletin to be transported to Buckingham Palace by car for a liveried footman to post the official announcement on the traditional easel.
The delivery followed hours of labour since the Duchess was admitted to the hospital at 06:00 hours (local time) this morning.
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.”
It is believed Kate will be discharged with the baby on Wednesday for the traditional picture at the doorstep of the hospital.
Fountains and key landmarks are set to be illuminated and the news that “it’s a boy” is being broadcast on giant screens all over central London.
There was widespread speculation of the gender of the royal baby, as if it was to be a girl, the child would have made history by becoming the first female firstborn of a future monarch to take precedence over a younger brother.
Kate was taken to the hospital in the early hours of this morning by car from the palace to St Mary’s.
The world’s press has been camped outside St Mary’s for days in anticipation of the birth.
The due date had never been officially announced but had widely been expected to be mid-July.
Royal vehicles were seen at a back entrance to the hospital at about 06:00 am (local time) when Kate was brought to the hospital, with the announcement coming from Kensington Palace 90 minutes later.
The couple travelled to the hospital without a police escort, their spokesman said.
The Duchess was tended by a top medical team led by the Queen’s gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who delivered the Countess of Wessex’s two children. Alan Farthing, the Queen’s current gynaecologist, assisted in the delivery.
There had been tremendous enthusiasm globally over the birth of the royal baby and the media frenzy outside the hospital has been unprecedented.
Bored journalists had dubbed their vigil outside the hospital as “the Great Kate Wait”.
Last week, the Queen joked about the imminent arrival of the newest member of her family, saying she hoped the baby was born before she went on holiday to her private Balmoral estate in Scotland.
Prince William has been with his wife on annual leave and will have two weeks’ paternity leave from his job as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, who is likely to carry out any christening, had earlier in the day, sent his best wishes to the couple.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Kate and the whole family on this enormously special day,” tweeted Reverend Justin Welby.
The couple announced in December last year that they were expecting their first child after the Duchess was admitted to hospital suffering from severe morning sickness.
Since the announcement, the Duchess has carried out 19 days of public engagements before going on maternity leave in the middle of June.
Kate’s final public appearance before the birth was at the Trooping the Colour ceremony in June.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were married at Westminster Abbey in April 2011, watched on television by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
