Great News: Kate Middleton Has Gone Into Labour

Kate was admitted to St Mary’s hospital, Paddington early on Monday 23rd April, according to a brief statement issued on Twitter by Kensington Palace. While her exact due date is not known, temporary parking restrictions were placed outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital – where she also gave birth to George and Charlotte – from 9th April to 30th April, suggesting her due date was sometime towards the end of this month.

The new Prince or Princess of Cambridge will be fifth in line to the throne and will be Queen Elizabeth’s sixth great-grandchild. Interestingly, previous rules of succession dictated that, if the new royal baby were to be a boy, he would leapfrog over Princess Charlotte to become fourth in line to the throne, with Charlotte moving to fifth. An amendment to The Succession to the Crown Act 2013, however, removed the bias towards male offspring, meaning that royal children now inherit the throne in order of birth rather than gender.

All bets are on for the name of the latest addition. William Hill’s most likely girl’s names are Alice (4/1), and Victoria (6/1), whilst Arthur (5/1), Albert (9/1) and Jack (9/1) are also popular choices if the couple have a baby boy.

Kate is being cared for by consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston, who is the royal household’s surgeon-gynaecologist and Alan Farthing, the Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist. The pair are part of the 23-strong team that also delivered George and Charlotte.

Costs to stay at the Paddington hospital maternity wing where Kate is currently residing start at around £5,900 for a one-night stay, rising to around £6,275 for a deluxe package. The wing boasts a satellite TV, radio, bedside phone and a fridge in each room. Patients are also offered a wine list, that includes champagne, and can have afternoon tea delivered to their room. Many have said a stay in the wing is akin to staying in a five-star hotel, with en suite rooms “providing a modern, homely environment in which to start your new or expanded family life,” according to their website.

With George being born after a 10-and-a-half hour labour and Charlotte being born in just two hours and 34 minutes, who knows whether baby number three will be a swift birth or not. In light of the good news, press pens have begun to fill up outside the hospital, allowing media to get in place for the birth announcement of the mini royal. Once the news of the birth has been announced on the official Kensington Palace Twitter and Instagram accounts, a bulletin notice declaring the birth will go on display on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. Kate will likely take an extended amount of time off after the birth but is still expected to attend the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on 19th May.

Fingers crossed we have a glimpse of royal baby number three by the end of the day!