Kate Middleton Gave Birth To A Baby Boy & We're So, So Excited
It's a boy! Kensington Palace announced around 8 a.m. EST that Kate Middleton gave birth to a baby boy at St. Mary's Hospital on Monday, April 23. Kensington Palace announced that Middleton had gone into labor just hours before, saying she and Prince William arrived to the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London early in the morning. The tweet announcing the birth of the little prince said, "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs. The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well."
UPDATE: In a tweet published on Friday, April 27, Kensington Palace confirmed that Prince William and Kate Middleton named their third son Louis Arthur Charles, adding that the baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
EARLIER: George and Charlotte's little brother has the most British birthday in the world. April 23 is St. George's Day — a centuries-old English holiday celebrating the patron saint of England. April 23 is also believed to be the day William Shakespeare was born and died, so celebrations honoring the playwright occur all throughout England on this day. Like I said, this baby has the most British birthday ever. The name of the baby has not yet been announced, but according to People, the most likely names are Philip, after William's grandfather, Albert, and Arthur. We'll hopefully see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge debut the baby boy on the steps of the Lindo Wing soon.
Kensington Palace revealed the sex, time of birth, and weight of the baby boy on Monday, April 23, just hours after confirming Middleton was in labor.
Kensington Palace confirmed in a follow-up tweet that the royal family is "delighted" about the news. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," the tweet said.
People are so excited about the arrival of a healthy little prince.
And the sex of the baby actually makes today an historic event for Princess Charlotte!
According to royal expert Victoria Murphy, Princess Charlotte's baby brother has made her the first girl not to be knocked out of her place in the line of succession by a younger brother. I just checked the calendar and yes, it is 2018. But there's a first time for everything, I guess...? Succession to the crown, according to People, was determined by gender up until the Succession to the Crown Act 2013. The act mandated that birth order determines the line of succession, not gender, so Princess Charlotte is the first girl in English history whose place in the line of succession hasn't been affected by the birth of a younger brother. What a time.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and the new prince's titles are a serious mouthful. Royal expert Mary Koenig told Town & Country that the baby's title will be His Royal Highness Prince (Name) of Cambridge, as well as His Royal Highness Prince (Name) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Try saying that 10 times fast. And although Charlotte and her little brother will be addressed formally as Her/His Royal Highness, they (along with their uncle, Prince Harry) are technically commoners. Koenig told Town & Country,
It sounds complicated, but in the U.K., the only people who are not commoners are the Sovereign and peers of the realm, [people with titles like] Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron.
Huh... the more you know.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will hopefully debut their son on the steps of the Lindo Wing sometime today, April 23. They did the same when Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born, so if you're impatiently waiting to get a first glimpse at the royal baby, keep your eyes on Twitter! The debut could happen at any moment. Congrats to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!
