Royal baby born: Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to son
The Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a son weighing 8lbs 7oz, Kensington Palace has announced.
The baby prince, fifth in line to the throne, was safely delivered at 11:01hrs on patriotic St George's Day.
The palace says the Queen, the royal family and Kate's family are delighted with the news, and mother and baby are both doing well.
Following the official announcement, the self-proclaimed Royalist Town Crier made sure excited royals fans who had gathered outside the private Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital were made aware.
He drew cheers from the crowd of royal watchers and he mounted the steps outside the hospital and marked the moment by shouting: "God save the Queen".
Kate had been taken to the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, accompanied by the Duke of Cambridge, some time ahead of 6am.
Some excited fans had been camped outside the hospital for 15 days, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mother and new arrival.
The media were outside the hospital too on Monday morning, waiting for the announcement - at one point surprising an unsuspecting couple emerged from the Lindo Wing with their newborn baby.
As is traditional, Buckingham Palace also placed a framed notice of the birth on a ceremonial easel on the Palace forecourt, where it will remain for about 24 hours.
The practice of posting a bulletin announcing a royal birth has gone on for at least as long as Buckingham Palace has been the Sovereign's official residence - since 1837.
Prime Minister Theresa May issued her best wishes.
"My warmest congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their baby boy. I wish them great happiness for the future," she said.
Archbishop Justin Welby wrote on Twitter: "Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the safe delivery of their baby, a brother for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
"May God bless them and all of their children with love, happiness and health."
The new arrival is the Duchess of Cambridge's third child - a younger brother for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
The children may visit the hospital to see their mother and baby sibling, just as George did when his younger sister was born three years ago. But it depends how quickly Kate wants to head home.
Meanwhile, Bookmakers will be following events carefully to see if they have to pay out, including over the baby's name - predicted names for a boy are Arthur, Albert, Frederick, James and Philip.
The Duchess's pregnancy was announced by Kensington Palace back on September 4 last year.
Kate, who again suffered from extreme pregnancy sickness hyperemesis gravidarum, went on maternity leave on March 22, but the duchess - and her large bump - attended an Easter Sunday church service in Windsor with the royals on April 1.
She is known to have joked that William is "in denial" about having a third child.
Although the Queen has four children, the duke is the first future king to have a third for more than 120 years.
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