I look a bit of a mess, but a very happy one

MARIA HUGHes, 38, is a clerical officer and lives in essex with her husband Michael, 35, an operations manager, and daughter lily, four. she says: By THe time Lily was born at 2.13pm one Friday in April 2014, I hadn’t had a shower for more than 48 hours.

My waters had broken at 4am on the Thursday morning and when I finally held my gorgeous baby in my arms I was so elated that my own appearance was the last thing on my mind. In fact, I couldn’t stop cuddling Lily for long enough even to brush my hair, let alone put on make-up.

As for my clothes, I’ve been worse dressed at weddings than Kate was when she left St Mary’s Hospital earlier this week!

So do I look a mess in my photos? A bit, yes, but a very, very happy one.

I just hope that Kate kicked off those heels, put her pyjamas on and enjoyed her baby like the rest of us when she got back to the palace.