How the Duchess of Cambridge's royal births compare: From labour duration to must-have outfits
On 23rd April 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child – a second son – to the world. The newborn, who is fifth in line to the throne, gave his debut royal wave to the nation just seven hours after first opening his eyes.
But was the fast turnaround unusual for the royal couple?
We compare the Duchess of Cambridge’s past three pregnancies from labour duration to her children’s sell-out Lindo Wing looks.
How do the Duchess of Cambridge’s labours compare?
Prince George’s birth: 22 July 2013
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their first child – Prince George – at precisely 4.24pm. Kate followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana and gave birth in the now-famous Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London.
Princess Charlotte’s birth: 2 May 2015
The royal couple welcomed their second child – Princess Charlotte – at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington at 8.34am.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s second labour was her quickest, as she gave birth to her first daughter just two hours and 34 minutes after first being admitted to the Lindo Wing.
The unnamed Prince’s birth: 23 April 2018
The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to hospital on just before 6am in the ‘early stages of labour’, Kensington Palace confirmed via Twitter.
The royal couple welcomed their second son at precisely 11.01am at St Mary’s Hospital. Despite his gender, the new baby is fifth in line to the throne behind Princess Charlotte thanks to the Succession to the Crown Act of 2013.
Which of the Duchess of Cambridge’s labours was the quickest?
Kate Middleton’s first labour was her longest, as she gave birth 10-and-a-half hours after being admitted to the maternity ward.
In comparison, Princess Charlotte was born just two hours and 34 minutes after Kate arrived at the Lindo Wing on 2 May 2015.
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.
The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge.
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) April 23, 2018
According to Kensington Palace, the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to hospital in the early hours of the morning on 23 April 2018 ahead of giving birth to her third child.
The royal couple welcomed their second son at 11.01am making it at least a five-hour labour.
How was news of Kate Middleton’s previous royal births announced?
When Prince George was born, the royal family had not yet founded Kensington Palace’s social media accounts.
Therefore, Clarence House’s official Twitter page – which is now used by Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles – revealed the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first child had been born.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) July 22, 2013
However, for the birth of Princess Charlotte and her little brother, the royal couple informed the public via the Kensington Palace Twitter account.
A notice has been placed on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace following the announcement of the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child.@KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/82ZCB7F2aQ
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 23, 2018
It is custom for royal fans to head over to Buckingham Palace after each birth where an easel is presented with details on the new baby’s weight and time of birth.
A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on May 2, 2015 at 12:30pm PDT
Over at St Mary’s Hospital, a similarly traditional gesture is carried out in celebration of the royal couple’s new arrival. To mark each birth, Essex town crier, 81-year-old Tony Appleton, informs the nation of the exciting arrival.
Who delivers the royal babies?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have used the same medical team led by royal surgeon-gynaecologist, Guy Thorpe-Beeston, for each birth.
How long did the Duchess of Cambridge wait to debut each royal baby to the world?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge never fail to baffle the nation with the speed in which they debut their latest addition to the world’s press.
The day after giving birth to their first child, Prince George, Kate Middleton debuted her newborn to the world.
In Princess Charlotte’s case, the turnaround was even more impressive. Due to her early arrival, the royal couple posed for an obligatory photocall on the Lindo Wing steps that very day.
Similarly, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed off their second son less than seven hours after he was born.
Though the 36-year-old’s polished look – courtesy of stylist Natasha Archer and hair guru Amanda Cook Tucker – divided royal fans with some criticising the couple for giving mums across the nation unrealistic expectations post-birth.
When will we find out the new royal baby’s name?
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge usually give the nation a 48-hour window when it comes to revealing their newborn’s name.
The royal couple revealed Prince George’s name to the public on 24th July (two days after he was born) via an official statement issued by Kensington Palace. The nation had to wait two days before learning Princess Charlotte’s name too though this time, it was revealed via Twitter.
Therefore, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will probably not reveal their second son’s moniker until Wednesday 25th April 2018.
It is traditional for the couple to first inform the Queen of their decision before giving details to the press.
What did the royal babies wear to leave hospital?
Continuing a 70-year tradition, each of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s children emerged from the Lindo Wing in a bespoke blanket by Nottingham-based label, G. Hurt & Sons.
Although it has not been confirmed, it is widely speculated that the new royal baby borrowed the shall from his elder siblings ahead of his world debut.
Like his older sister, Princess Charlotte, the new royal baby also donned a sweet bonnet as the Duchess of Cambridge cradled him in her arms.
Princess Charlotte’s hand-knitted accessory was a gift from the mother of Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, the Duchess of Cambridge’s Spanish live-in nanny. The dainty accessory was purchased at Irulea, a small boutique in northern Spain.
Prince George on the other hand kick-started the ‘George Effect,’ after he was photographed wrapped up in a bird-print blanket by Aiden + Anais.
To greet their new brother, Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrived at St Mary’s hospital clasping their father’s hand. For the momentous occasion, Charlotte further demonstrated her sartorial pulling power in a £43 smock dress by Little Alice London.
There is no telling the sartorial pulling power of the royal couple’s newborn son but he is sure to follow in the footsteps of his older siblings who boast an impressive economic contribution of 5.4 billion.
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Princess Charlotte stole the show during the royal birth, but how will she cope as the middle child?
