Excitement mounting at news of royal baby

BRITAIN: The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to London’s St Mary’s Hospital in the early stages of labour with her third child, Kensington Palace has announced.

Kate was taken to the private Lindo wing of the hospital yesterday morning, the palace says.

The baby prince or princess will be fifth in line to the throne, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s sixth great-grandchild and a younger brother or sister for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

‘‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, earlier this morning in the early stages of labour,’’ Kensington Palace said.

The duchess is being cared for by consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston, who is the surgeon-gynaecologist to the household, and consultant gynaecologist Alan Farthing, the Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist – part of the trusted team who delivered George and Charlotte.

Highly-trained midwives will also be on hand, while experts will be waiting in the wings in case of an emergency.

For her previous births, Kate had a 23-strong team of top medics working or on stand-by from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – which runs St Mary’s Hospital.

With the baby on its way, press pens will now open outside the hospital as journalists, photographers and camera crews wait for confirmation of the baby’s arrival. Royal watchers will be expecting a swift delivery.

With George, the duchess gave birth 10-and-a-half hours after being admitted to hospital, but Charlotte was born just two hours and 34 minutes after Kate arrived at the Lindo Wing. – PA