BABY BOY FOR KATE
LITTLE PRINCE IS BORN
THE royal family was celebrating last night after welcoming its latest member – a baby boy. Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to a son at 11.01am local time (8.01pm AEST) at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London. The new prince weighed in at 8 pounds 7 ounces (3.83kg). Like most modern dads, William was by his wife’s side for the labour, as he was for the arrival of both Prince George on July 22, 2013, and Charlotte on May 2, 2015. Catherine and the baby are both doing well and are being cared for in the hospital’s private Lindo Wing, where she gave birth to the couple’s first two children.
“Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs,” a statement from Kensington Palace read “The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz. 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.
“Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”
A huge crowd of dedicated royal fans who had gathered outside the hospital cheered the announcement of the birth of the new Prince.
London’s Metropolitan Police had to set up barricades outside the hospital to contain the British press and the hundreds of fans who staked out positions in the hopes of being among the first to see Catherine and her new son.
Terry Hutt, 82, said he had been camping outside the hospital for 15 days.
Mr Hutt, a retired carpenter, said he had loved the royals since he was a boy. “I’ve been doing this for donkeys years,” he said.
“I was here when William and Harry were born.”
Dressed in a Union Jack suit for the occasion, Mr Hutt said he was hoping the baby boy would be called Philip.
Marie Scott, 46, said she had also been waiting there for the past two weeks. “The staff at the hospital have been great and have been letting me use the showers,” she said.
“It’s just hugely exciting to have a new member of the royal family. And on St George’s Day.”
The new baby will be fifth in line to the throne, behind grandfather Prince Charles, father William and siblings George and Charlotte.
Prince Harry, William’s brother who will marry glamorous US actor Meghan Markle next month, falls back to sixth in the line of succession.
Bookies suggest the most likely names for the baby will be Arthur or Thomas. Other names being backed include Edward, Frederick and William.
MEMBERS OF BOTH FAMILIES HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND ARE DELIGHTED WITH THE NEWS PALACE STATEMENT