The Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour and arrived at St Mary’s Hospital at 5.30am this morning.
After weeks of mounting speculation about due dates, the Duchess of Cambridge has finally gone into the early stages of labour. Kensington Palace made the announcement this morning, shortly after The Duchess had been admitted to the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, central London, accompanied by her husband.
It is the same maternity wing that Diana, Princess of Wales gave birth to Prince William and his younger brother Prince Harry in 1982 and 1984 respectively.
Press from all over the world have been camped outside the hospital for weeks, sweltering in the summer heatwave, and they wait with baited breath for the first news.
The announcement of the birth will be made in the traditional royal manner, via the placement of an easel with a bulletin on it outside of Buckingham Palace. No public announcement will be made until The Queen has been informed of the birth.
Thanks to recent changes in the laws of succession, female heirs now have equal right to the throne, meaning that if the baby is a girl she will make history as the first female royal whose position cannot be altered by the later birth of a brother. Boy or girl, the baby will be third-in-line to the throne, displacing Prince Harry to fourth and the Duke of York to fifth.
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