Dream of home birth dashed

Meghan forced to go to private hospital for 5.26am delivery Public told duchess was in labour ... hours after the baby arrived!

Had studied hypnobirthing

Meghan’s hopes of a home birth were dashed when she was taken to hospital on Sunday by Harry and their Scotland Yard security team.

The Daily Mail understands that the Duchess of Sussex – who was a week overdue – was whisked off amid such secrecy that even senior royals weren’t told.

It is understood she was taken to a London hospital – most likely the Portland – where even a ‘ basic’ delivery costs upwards of £15,000. Princesses Beatrice and eugenie were delivered there.

It is not known whether Meghan, 37, was induced but sources say that she remained there overnight before her baby was born at 5.26am yesterday, with an elated Prince Harry at her side.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment but sources confirmed to the Mail that a hospital delivery had taken place.

In a break with tradition, the Sussexes

announced last month that they wanted to keep details surrounding the birth of their first child private.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, by contrast, had faced a mass photocall at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, hours after all three of their children were born.

Meghan is said to have considered that the idea of posing for pictures straight after the birth was archaic.

In a statement at the time, Buckingham Palace said: ‘Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The duke and duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.’

The Mail also revealed last month how Meghan planned to have a home birth, although sources acknowledged that she was willing to go hospital if that was what was best for the baby.

Both she and Harry had studied hypnobirthing techniques and were hopeful of having an allfemale midwife-led delivery in the privacy of their own home at Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate. on, it began But as to the look week increasingly dragged unlikely it would be possible. Indeed, experts had long warned that as a first-time mother and one who at 37 is classed in medical terms as ‘geriatric’, there would be a strong chance that the duchess would require some sort of mediand cal intervention. Peter BowenSimpkins, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said there are many reasons why a home birth may not have gone to plan for the duchess.

He said: ‘When you have your first baby you essentially have an “untried pelvis”.

‘You don’t know what’s going to happen when the body prepares for labour and birth. If a woman is on her second or subsequent baby has had a normal delivery before then it’s likely there wouldn’t be any problem at all. But you don’t know that’s going to be the case until you have your first baby.’

A study in 2011 showed that the transfer rate from home into hospital was 45 per cent for first time mothers and 10 per cent for women in subsequent pregnancies.

And that is indeed what happened on Sunday afternoon when Meghan was secretly driven out of Frogmore with Harry and, it is believed, her mother Doria, who has been studying in the US with a doula – a birthing coach.

Buckingham Palace did not announce that Meghan had gone into labour until several hours after the baby had actually been born yesterday – at 1.49pm.

Less than an hour later – at 2.40pm – a second statement was put out announcing that the couple were delighted to welcome a son. Although the Palace had assured that when the news was disseminated it would including the baby’s sex, weight and place of birth, the final – crucial – detail was missing. Aides refused to disclose any more details. At 4.45pm the traditional easel was finally erected at Buckingham Palace.

Gill Walton, chief executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, later issued a statement suggesting that midwives were still involved, saying: ‘We wish them the best of health and happiness in the future. I would also offer our thanks to the midwives and other health professionals who have supported the duchess and her family through her pregnancy and who will support her after the birth.’

Full details should be included on the baby’s birth certificate, which is likely to be completed by the Sussexes in the next few days.