The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Waiting is over as Kate gives birth to a boy
WELL-WISHERS from around the globe screamed with excitement as news of the birth of the royal baby spread to Buckingham Palace.
One man shouted: “It’s a boy,” prompting crowds to erupt into spontaneous cheering, ahead of the easel being placed in the forecourt.
There were three cheers of “hip hip hooray,” as the crowd outside the palace gates swelled to more than 10 deep.
Many had been waiting patiently for confirmation of the birth ever since news of the duchess going into labour yesterday morning.
Matthew and Donna Harold, from Michigan in the United States, said they had been asked to stock up on souvenirs for friends back home during their holiday in London.
“The royal baby is front-page news every day back in the States at the moment, there is a lot of excitement,” said Mrs Harold.
“Our holiday was booked months ago, so we did not expect to be over here while the baby was happening.”
In Australia, a set of commemorative baby stamps has already been commissioned to mark the royal birth.
Lynette Traynor, a postal worker from Melbourne who is on holiday in London, said: “We love everything to do with the royals, so the news is full of it.
“We have a set of baby stamps ready to go, as soon as it has been confirmed. We can’t get enough of it.”
Another visitor to the palace, 26-yearold German Veronika Schwarz, said she thought there was greater excitement outside of England.
“We don’t have anything like the royal family in Germany, so we are all getting quite carried away with this.”
A handful of royal fans have spent days camped outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, eager to snatch a glimpse of the baby and future sovereign. Police chatted with visitors, many pondering potential names for the newborn future monarch.
Conf irmation of the royal birth arrived by car in the form of an official statement, carried by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s press secretary.
It was met by a footman before being taken inside the palace
The statement, on Buckingham Palace headed paper, was brought out for public inspection on the easel by Badar Azim, a footman with the royal household, and Ailsa Anderson, the Queen’s press secretary.
The framed A4 sheet of paper suddenly became the subject of a thousand camera-flashes, as a sea of patient royal well-wishers thrust their smartphones through the railings in an effort to catch a first glimpse of the easel.
Kasey Coffee, 21, from Washington in the US, said she had spent three hours queuing ahead of the royal announcement.
“The atmosphere in the crowd was awesome. Everybody was excited, then we heard a shriek that it was a boy — everybody was cheering and jumping.”