This is unlikely to be news to anyone reading the blog: Kate delivered a healthy baby boy today. Official word of the royal baby’s birth came at about 3:30pm EDT. Below, the front page of the official Duke and Duchess of Cambridge website.
DukeandDuchessofCambridge.org
More specifically, this was the announcement:
Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 4.24pm.
The newest Royal is good-sized; HRH the Prince of Cambridge, weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Here is the full announcement.
Clarence House via Royal Review
William and Kate spent four hours enjoying time with their newborn before the announcement was made to the public about the birth.
Hour after hour throughout the day we hoped to hear an announcement, but by the afternoon it seemed iffy. Around 2:30pm word came that plans to post official birth information on the easel at Buckingham Palace were being changed. Instead, Twitter started buzzing (melting down might be a more accurate description) with news that the long-planned easel strategy was being modified: there would be an emailed news release before the birth announcement was physically posted.
At about 3:30pm the release was emailed. Simultaneously, the following tweets from Clarence House.
Clarence House
Two more.
Clarence House Twitter
And this final post.
Clarence House Twitter
This was followed by the official posting at Buckingham Palace. Below, the Queen’s Press Secretary Ailsa Anderson and Badar Azim, a footman, do the honors.
The British Monarchy Instagram
Jordon Lee’s photo gives an idea of the crowds eager to see that announcement.
Jordon Lee Instagram (@JordonLee Twitter)
A town crier also read an announcement.
WeirPhotos / Splash News
There was no official statement from Kate’s medical team. Below we see Guy Thorpe-Beeston, Marcus Setchel and Alan Farthing as they leave the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital. The only comment came from Mr. Setchel (in Britain that is how MDs are referred to, ‘Mr.’ as opposed to ‘Dr.’), he said “Wonderful baby – beautiful baby.”
James Whatling / Splash News
Congratulatory statements from Heads of State started being released, following is part of the message sent by President & Mrs. Obama.
“Michelle and I are so pleased to congratulate The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the joyous occasion of the birth of their first child. We wish them all the happiness and blessings parenthood brings.
There are signs of celebrating across Britain, our pal Jordon Lee also shared this picture of the London Eye lit up in recognition of the baby’s arrival.
Jordon Lee Twitter Feed
Another angle via the MPS Helicopters on Twitter.
MPS Helicopters
Georgia Dunning Morris posted this image on Twitter of the blue fountains at Trafalgar Square. The fountains will feature blue lights for seven days in honor of the birth.
Georgia Dunning Morris Twitter Feed (@GeorgieDunnMorr)
And the BT Tower also carried the good news.
The Daily Telegraph
Below, a congratulatory sign going up at the Cottage Inn Pub in Upper Bucklebury, with thanks to Phil Cannings for his twitter picture.
Phil Cannings Twitter Feed (@philc_nwn)
Mr. Cannings shared that tomorrow night there will be quite the bash, party plans include a live band, barbecue, fireworks and more.
Niagara Falls is lit up in blue as well, it will be tonight and tomorrow night.
Niagara Parks Facebook, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Our thanks to Craig Joyce, he shared his photo of the Parliament building in Ottawa (where Kate & William have visted), it is also blue.
Craig M. Joyce
The front pages of London’s newspapers are fun to look at; below we see tomorrow’s Sun.
The Sun
The Daily Mail.
The Daily via Neil Henderson
The Daily Star.
The Star via Neil Henderson
And finally, The Telegraph.
The Telegraph
Neil Henderson shared this montage on Twitter of tomorrow’s front pages.
Neil Henderson Twitter Feed (@Hendopolis)
What’s Next:
Prince William is spending the night at the hospital with Kate and the baby.
It’s possible Kate’s parents and/or Prince Harry (now 4th in line to the throne) could visit the hospital tomorrow morning. The entire Middleton family is said to be in town at their London home (many thanks to Niraj Tanna for that info), Carole and Michael Middleton having left Bucklebury this morning.
Many expect Kate and the baby will be released tomorrow, perhaps mid-afternoon.
At 2pm tomorrow there will be a 62-gun salute fired, the Telegraph’s live blog explains: “Uniquely, at the Tower of London, which is a royal residence, a total of 62 rounds are fired as this also includes an additional 21 guns for the citizens of the City of London to show their loyalty to the monarch.”
Prince William has two weeks paternity leave. When he goes back to work there is some sense that Kate will spend time with her parents in Bucklebury.
Everyone is eager to learn the baby’s name, we could hear as early as tomorrow, or it could be some time before that announcement is made. It was a week after William’s birth before his name was announced. Following are the top 10 boys names that people bet on, via the Daily Mail.
The Mail Online Twitter Feed
Below, Princess Diana, Prince Charles and a newborn Prince William exiting St. Mary’s Hospital 36 hours after William was born in June of 1982.
Corbis/Splash News
I imagine tomorrow’s imagery will be similar to this.