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Duchess of Cambridge Is Hospitalized in ‘Early Stages of Labor’ Duchess of Cambridge Is Hospitalized in ‘Early Stages of Labor’
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — After months of ever more frenetic anticipation, Britain’s royal family said on Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, had gone to St. Mary’s Hospital in London’s Paddington district to prepare for the birth of her first child and was in the early stages of labor. LONDON — After months of ever more frenetic anticipation, the British royal family said Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, had gone to St. Mary’s Hospital in the Paddington district of London to prepare for the birth of her first child and was in the early stages of labor.
A brief message on Twitter was the first of a series of carefully scripted disclosures set to culminate in the announcement of a birth that seems certain to draw unparalleled media coverage, even in the annals of Britain’s headline-making royal family.A brief message on Twitter was the first of a series of carefully scripted disclosures set to culminate in the announcement of a birth that seems certain to draw unparalleled media coverage, even in the annals of Britain’s headline-making royal family.
“Her Royal highness the Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, in the early stages of labour,” said a message from Clarence House, the official residence of the duchess and her husband, Prince William, the duke of Cambridge. “Her royal highness the Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, in the early stages of labour,” said a message from Clarence House, the official residence of the duchess and her husband, Prince William, the duke of Cambridge.
It said the duchess traveled by car to the hospital from another royal residence, Kensington Palace. Reporters outside the building said the couple slipped into the facility through a rear entrance, largely unobserved by the waiting press corps. A spokesman for the couple, speaking in return for customary anonymity, said the duke and duchess traveled without a police escort. “Things are progressing as normal,” the spokesman said. It said the duchess had traveled by car to the hospital from another royal residence, Kensington Palace. Reporters outside the building said the couple had slipped into the facility through a rear entrance, largely unobserved by the waiting press corps. A spokesman for the couple, speaking in return for customary anonymity, said that the duke and duchess had traveled without a police escort. “Things are progressing as normal,” the spokesman said.
There has been no official word on whether the duke and duchess are expecting a boy or a girl and information about the birth is expected be closely restricted. There has been no official word on whether the duke and duchess are expecting a boy or a girl, and information about the birth is expected be closely restricted.
The formal announcement that a baby has been born will be made in a statement driven by car from the hospital across London and posted on an easel in the grounds of Buckingham Palace. The formal announcement that a baby has been born will be made in a statement driven by car from the hospital across London and posted on an easel on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
The parents met in the early 2000s when both were students at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland and their relationship, which was later hailed as a fairy tale union, proceeded sporadically for several years until their wedding in April 2011. The parents met in the early 2000s when both were students at St. Andrew’s University in Scotland, and their relationship, which was later hailed as a fairy tale union, proceeded sporadically for several years until their wedding in April 2011.
In some ways, the phantom of William’s mother, Princess Diana, has hovered over Kate and William and the duke has frequently made clear that he wants to protect his wife from the intense media scrutiny associated with his mother. In some ways, the phantom of William’s mother, Princess Diana, has hovered over Kate and William, and the duke has frequently made it clear that he wants to protect his wife from the intense media scrutiny associated with his mother.
For weeks, photographers and camera crews have camped out with stepladders and other equipment outside St. Mary’s, where William, now a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, was himself born in June 1982.For weeks, photographers and camera crews have camped out with stepladders and other equipment outside St. Mary’s, where William, now a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, was himself born in June 1982.
The run-up to the birth, however, has been marked by a remarkable display of restraint among Britain’s usually aggressive tabloids with no sign of photographs being published after clandestine stakeouts of the royal couple. The period preceding the birth, however, has been marked by a remarkable display of restraint among Britain’s usually aggressive tabloids, with no sign of photographs being published after clandestine stakeouts of the royal couple.
Intrusive and highly competitive coverage of royal events was usual for decades. But Britain’s tabloids have been chastened by public opprobrium resulting from a phone-hacking scandal that led to broad scrutiny by Parliament, the public and the police of the way the press operates. Intrusive and highly competitive coverage of royal events was usual for decades. But Britain’s tabloids have been chastened by public opprobrium resulting from a phone-hacking scandal that led to broad scrutiny by Parliament, the public and the police of the way the media operate.
The baby is expected to be known formally as the prince or princess of Cambridge, and, because of recent changes in the law of royal succession, will be the third in line to the throne, after Prince Charles, 64, and William, 31. Prince Harry, the younger son of Charles and Diana, will be fourth. The baby is expected to be known formally as the prince or princess of Cambridge, and because of recent changes in the law of royal succession, will be the third in line to the throne, after Prince Charles, 64, and William, 31. Prince Harry, the younger son of Charles and Diana, will be fourth.
The expected birth has been depicted as offering a likely counterpoint to Britain’s economic austerity, buoying a public mood that has been elevated by a series of sporting success in cricket, rugby and cycling. An unusual heat wave, meanwhile, has brought picnickers and strollers out in droves across the land in parks, on beaches and at heaths and wilderness areas. The expected birth has been depicted as offering a likely counterpoint to Britain’s economic austerity, buoying a public mood that has been elevated by a series of sporting successes in cricket, rugby and cycling. An unusual heat wave, meanwhile, has brought picnickers and strollers out in droves across the land in parks, on beaches and at heaths and wilderness areas.
The medical team in charge of the birth is led by Marcus Setchell, formerly the gynecologist of Queen Elizabeth II, assisted by Alan Farthing, who took over the position in 2008, news reports said. The medical team in charge of the birth is led by Marcus Setchell, formerly the gynecologist for Queen Elizabeth II, assisted by Alan Farthing, who took over the position in 2008, news reports said.
The duchess is in the Lindo wing of St. Mary’s Hospital, a private obstetric unit charging around $7,500 for normal delivery facilities over 24 hours, apart from consultants’ fees running at around $9,000. The duchess is in the Lindo wing of St. Mary’s Hospital, a private obstetric unit charging about $7,500 for normal delivery facilities over 24 hours, apart from consultants’ fees running at about $9,000.
During a public function at a military barracks in March, a soldier asked her if she knew the baby was a boy or a girl, and she replied “not yet,” news reports said at the time, quoting the soldier as saying: “She said ‘I’d like to have a boy and William would like a girl.’ That’s always the way.” During a public function at a military barracks in March, a soldier asked her if she knew whether the baby was a boy or a girl, and she replied, “Not yet,” news reports said at the time, quoting the soldier as saying: “She said, ‘I’d like to have a boy, and William would like a girl.’ That’s always the way.”

John F. Burns and Sarah Lyall contributed reporting.

For their part, British retailers, hotels and ceramic factories are betting on the arrival of the royal baby to improve the otherwise gloomy economic situation.
Dave Lockett, owner of a company called Edwardian China, said the pottery manufacturer will be painting the name and date of birth of the new royal on more than 10,000 commemorative plates and other ceramics that were prepared weeks ago.
“We made them pretty generic so that it could be either a boy or girl,” said Mr. Lockett who had to hire extra staff to cope with the order load. “Then it was just a matter of waiting for the big day.”

John F. Burns, Sarah Lyall and Julia Werdigier contributed reporting.