The ‘birth of an heir‘ in a family is enough to cause even the most mild mannered members to have their say and throw a hissy fit, imagine if the child is to be the third in line to the throne of the United Kingdom?
This is where the hard work really starts, and we are wondering how will Kate fare as Royal Mother and not just Royal oven?
Photo Credits: Alison Jackson
Though William and Kate were hoping for their first born to be welcomed in a more “bourgeois” way, (Kate’s influence is starting to be heard), matriarch and monarch Queen Elizabeth would not have it, and here are a few facts that will mark the birth of this Royal Baby.
No tweeting please, we’re Royal
Kate is due to give birth in the private wing of St Mary’s Hospital, where Diana delivered her two children. Here security will be at its tightest (remember the scandal just 9 months ago?), yet precautions can never be enough. Fear of an unofficial announcement by staff of the birth is contagious, and it is likely no one in the wing will be allowed smart phones as to leak the news (or even a picture!!) via Twitter before it is officially announced.
Birthing partnersKate is well taken care of as in the delivery room with her she has requested her mother, Pippa (who this time will not steal her thunder, promise), the two royal gynaecologist, (one of whom is also yours truly’s go to man for the job) and perhaps William, who like his father may wish to witness the birth of at least his first born. If that seems crowded, think of poor Queen Mary who in 1936 had to bare the minister of interior as a witness, just to vouch for the fact that the baby was had not been swapped.
Royal Decree
Back to the birth, well, once the child has actually made its way through the royal birthing canal, William, or maybe Pippa (she needs to have a role in this too) will let the Queen know the sex of the baby, as it is costmary and only after she has been told an official decree will be signed by the doctors and positioned outside the gates of Buckingham Palace announcing the birth and sex of the heir to the adoring crowds.
It’s all in the name
Bookies have been going bonkers since Kate started vomiting nine months ago, and now we’re almost there. Though there is no saying how many middle names the child will have, nor how long it will take to come up with all of them (some of them might not even be real names), the rumoured name of choice were it to be a girl is Diana, but will the Queen allow it? We’ll find out soon.
Who needs balloons when you have 41 cannons?
We can only speculate the gifts this child will receive from doting grand parents and heads of state, yet the first salute will have the sounds of 41 cannons reverberating over Hyde Park as well as all that of the ships’ of the Royal Navy across the world. British Airways is rumoured to serve free champagne in keeping with tradition… I see more cost cutting ahead.
A Jordanian Baptism
In keeping with the strictest Royal tradition and multicultural brutishness, the Royal Baby will be baptized in the Music Room in Buckingham Palace, as customary since the destruction of the chapel during a raid in WWII, and the water of the Baptismal Font was taken from the river Jordan (the same river in which John the Baptist baptised Jesus, for those of you who don’t know.) Talk about the anointed one.
Breaking with tradition
At the beginning of the article I promised some breaks with traditions as Wills and Kate are looking to shake up the monarchy and with the arrival of the Royal Baby and show that the new generation are down with the crowd, yet not much seems to have changed from 31 years ago. While in fact there are 2 important victories which Kate has been able to procure: after giving birth she will move in with her mother for 41 days and not to Balmoral, and the baby will not be baptised in the Honiton Lace, which had been used since Queen Victoria, but in keeping with Kate’s very clear style choices it may turn out to be a shawl from Zara… says blogger Valentina Zannoni
The royal baby is one of around 2,000 children born every day in the UK. Yet whilst the third in line to the throne can expect a life unimaginable to its cohort of subjects with whom it will share a birthday, all babies can anticipate a longer span than their parents before them.
A notice formally announcing the birth of a son to Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is placed outside Buckingham Palace. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters
According to the Office of National Statistics one in four will live to be 100. The average longevity of those born since 2009 is 78.7 for a boy and 82.6 for a girl. Yet worryingly campaigners estimate that one in three children in Britain – four million young people – are living in relative poverty which is one of the highest figures in the industrial world.
At Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, one of the busiest maternity units in Britain, there is no such thing as an average child or an average mother.
Catering for a population of some 400,000 people last year it dealt with 3,700 deliveries or around 10 per day. Of these nearly seven out of 10 were delivered normally whilst in 20 per cent of cases the mother underwent a caesarean section. Around 13 per cent were born with the aid of instruments such as forceps or ventouse. All mothers attend with a birth partner.
Emma Hardwick, head of midwifery and clinical services at Ipswich Hospital, said all mothers receive one-to-one care during labour in accordance with national guidelines.
But she said much had changed since she qualified in 1994.
“We see a lot of women now who might never have had babies – who have had treatment for infertility perhaps. The population is changing and the profile of women has changed in the past 20 years – they may be older, might have more complex medical conditions, mental health problems or be overweight,” she said.
“Being a midwife is a privilege and a delight. We understand what birth is about. We understand the physiological processes – what is normal and how to recognise what to do if we are concerned. Thousands of women across the world every day have babies. It is a normal process so it is about supporting the woman and her partner. But the wonder of seeing a baby born never diminishes,” she added. [The INDEPENDENT]
Baby born at 4.24pm at St Mary’s hospital in London
• Announcement made just over four hours later
• Duke of Cambridge was present for healthy birth
• Kensington Palace says baby weighs 8lb 6oz
• Do you know your royal baby names?
• Is your baby being born today?
• Tracing the royal baby’s lineageMemories
The Royal Baby is among very few royal heirs to be born in a hospital instead of the palace.
Prince William was the first followed by Prince Harry.
The sighting of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leaving the hospital will likely cause quite a stir like that of when Prince William’s parents exited the hospital.
Governor General of Canada sends greetings:
Birth of Royal Baby
July 22, 2013
Message from the Governor General on the Birth
of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Baby Son
OTTAWA — My wife, Sharon, and I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the occasion of the birth of their son.
Sharon and I have five wonderful daughters and ten delightful grandchildren and know well the elation that a new arrival brings to a young family. We know that this happy event brings great joy not only to Their Royal Highnesses, but to the entire nation as well.
May the years to come with this child be filled with love and pride for all members of the Royal Family.
David Johnston
Canadians can write wishes to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the Governor General’s website HERE
Media information:
Annabelle Cloutier
Rideau Hall Press Office
613-993-8158
[email protected]Follow GGDavidJohnston and RideauHall on Facebook and Twitter
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