Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images(LONDON) — Prince William and Princess Kate have welcomed a baby boy.
Kate, 36, delivered a son in the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital, Kensington Palace announced.
The newborn, the third child of William and Kate, weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces at birth. He was born at 11:01 a.m., local time.
William, 35, was present for the birth of his third child, according to Kensington Palace.
“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,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”
The newborn will join siblings Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, who turns 3 May 2.
The baby will be Queen Elizabeth II’s sixth great-grandchild.
Early in her pregnancy, Kate suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme morning sickness, as she did with her first two pregnancies. Kensington Palace announced Kate’s pregnancy in September.
During her pregnancy, Kate maintained a busy pace of royal engagements, including a trip with William to Norway and Sweden and the launch of a mental health program in schools.
She is expected to now take time off from official royal duties, as she did after the births of her older children.
How the baby’s birth is announced
Once Kate gave birth, Queen Elizabeth and the royal family were notified before a public announcement was made by Kensington Palace on Twitter.
In keeping with tradition, a statement was later posted on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, just as it was after George and Charlotte’s births.
Bells will toll, and there will be the traditional gun salute as the country celebrates the new heir.
The new baby’s place in the royal family
When the baby is born, history will be made as Charlotte will be the first female to retain her claim to the throne, regardless of the baby’s gender.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which was passed when Kate was pregnant with George, states that succession to the throne would be based wholly on birth order, not gender.
George is third in line to the throne and Charlotte is currently fourth in line to the throne.
William and Kate’s third child will become fifth in line to the throne.
Prince Harry will be bumped down to sixth in line to the throne.
Like George and Charlotte, this child will also be designated as His or Her Royal Highness and will have the title of Prince or Princess.
Delivery at the Lindo Wing
Kate had all the amenities of a five-star hotel inside the Lindo Wing, including freshly-prepared meals and afternoon tea service and champagne available for those who request it.
Birthing packages at the exclusive Lindo Wing start at 5,900 pounds, or around 8,300 U.S. dollars, for a one-night stay, with a standard room package. Deluxe packages at the hospital start at 6,275 pounds, or nearly 9,000 U.S. dollars.
The Lindo Wing is where the late Princess Diana also delivered both William and Harry.
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