THE ROYAL BABY — FIRST PHOTO
Wills & kate take baby home
Beaming firsttime parents Prince William and Kate Middleton proudly showed off their baby boy to the world yesterday — and promised to work fast to name the future king of England.
“We’re still working on a name, we’ll have that as soon as we can,” a grinning William told throngs of wellwishers as he and his wife took turns holding their newborn prince of Cambridge in front of photographers outside London’s St. Mary’s Hospital.
The balding prince, 31, joked that his new son, now third in line to throne, already takes after his pretty wife in at least one way.
“He’s got her looks, thankfully,” William said, adding, “He’s got way more [hair] than me, thank God.”
The royal baby made his public debut barely one day after his birth — and his parents said he’s already making his presence known.
“He’s got a good pair of lungs on him, that’s for sure,” William quipped.
New mom Kate, radiant in a babyblue polkadot Jenny Packham dress and white high heels, cooed over the tiny monarch — and her husband.
“He’s done the first nappy already,” said Middleton, 31, referring to William’s diaperchanging abilities. “He’s very good at it.”
She emerged from the hospital carrying the baby swaddled in a white blanket. As the crowd cheered, William relieved her of the 8pound, 6ounce bundle.
“He’s a big boy. He’s quite heavy,” William told them.
Middleton called the birth “very emotional.
“It’s such a special time,” she said.
“I think any parent will know what this feeling feels like.”
William carried the baby in a car seat before handing him off to Middleton in the back seat of his Range Rover.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen him, really, so we’re having a proper chance to catch up,” William said.
The prince comically wiped his brow in relief, before jumping in the righthand driver’s seat and rolling away with the royal motorcade to Kensington Palace.
The future king was born Monday, a little more than 26 months after his parents’ storybook wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.
The due date was never dis cussed, but it was widely reported that he was due on July 13, making him about 10 days late.
Reporters, photographers and royal fans waited all day yesterday, in remarkably warm 84degree London “heat,” for the family’s first appearance.
William apologized and joked that he’ll chastise his son for all the commotion and waiting he’s caused.
“I’ll remind him of his tardiness when he’s a bit older,” William said.
“I know how long you’ve all been standing here, so hopefully the hospital and you guys can all go back to normal now and we can go and look after him.”
Yesterday’s royal appearance evoked memories of Prince Charles and his late wife Princess Diana, who posed for pictures on the very same steps in 1982 with their newborn, William.
Diana, too, chose a polkadot dress, hers a loosefitting light green dress, while Charles wore a dark pinstripe suit. William was much more casual in his appearance, choosing a lightblue pinstripe buttondown shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
The couple’s modern look and Middleton’s background from an affluent — but nonroyal — family has sparked an outpouring of public enthusiasm about Monday’s birth.
“I think this will enable the children to have a real chance to connect with the monarch,” said Pippa Rowe, a head teacher at a primary school in Middleton’s home village of Bucklebury.
“They learn about kings and queens, but we are going to have a real live prince with one set of grandparents living down the road.”
Earlier in the day, an overjoyed Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, dropped by to get their first glimpse of the future British ruler.
“Marvelous!” Prince Charles said of his newborn grandson, following a 26minute visit inside St. Mary’s.
Before Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited, Middleton’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton swung by for a 70minute meetandgreet.
“He’s [the newborn] absolutely beautiful. They’re [William and Kate] both doing really well,” said Carole Middleton, as she and her hubby departed.
“We’re both so thrilled.”