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Royal baby: Palace reveals new details of birth arrangements

Posted at 8:21 AM, Apr 09, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-09 08:21:14-04

The third child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London later this month, in the same wing as the royal couple’s two previous children, according to new details revealed Monday by Kensington Palace.

Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge show their newly-born daughter, their second child, to the media outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in central London, on May 2, 2015.  (LEON NEAL,BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images)

The medical team will be led by Alan Farthing and Guy Thorpe-Beeston, who delivered the Duchess’ second child, Charlotte.

Barriers and parking restrictions were being put in place outside the private Lindo Wing on Monday in preparation for the arrival of the world’s media when the new baby will be shown to the public for the first time.

Prince George was born in the Lindo Wing in 2013 and Prince Charlotte was born there in 2015. Their father Prince William was also born at the same facility.

Two weeks ago, Arthur Edwards, royal photographer at the British Sun newspaper, posted a picture of fresh paint on the railings outside the Lindo Wing, prompting speculation that it had been chosen for the birth of the Duke and Duchess’ third child.

The due date of the baby, who will be Queen Elizabeth’s sixth great-grandchild, has not been revealed. The baby’s sex is also a secret — even to the Duke and Duchess, who chose not to find out if they were expecting a boy or a girl.

The child will be fifth in line to the throne, behind big sister Charlotte, bumping William’s younger brother Prince Harry one place down the line of succession.

A change in the law after William and Kate were married in 2011 gave women the same rights of accession to the throne as men.

The Duchess of Cambridge — the former Kate Middleton — suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, severe levels of nausea and vomiting, during the early stages of her pregnancy, a more serious health risk than the morning sickness many women suffer.

The duchess was affected by the same condition during her two previous pregnancies.

She has continued to take on public engagements throughout her pregnancy, however, most recently visiting a community center in East London with William.

The Cambridges moved back to London this year so that they can take on more royal duties on behalf of the Queen and her husband Prince Philip. The 96-year-old prince retired from public duties in August and recently underwent a “successful” hip operation.

Prince William, 35, had been working as an air ambulance helicopter pilot for the past two years. It was the first time a royal who is in direct line to the throne had taken a civilian job; he donated his salary to charity.

Since 2014, William and Kate have used Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace in London — which underwent a $7.6 million overhaul in 2014 — as their official residence.