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| Royal fans endure a day's wait in the heat to glimpse new arrival | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The cheers, hesitant at first but soon full throated, erupted as dusk fell on a packed street outside St Mary's hospital, Paddington, at 8.31pm. | The cheers, hesitant at first but soon full throated, erupted as dusk fell on a packed street outside St Mary's hospital, Paddington, at 8.31pm. |
| Initial disbelief that the long-awaited news was finally here evaporated almost instantaneously among the crowd, many of whom turned to their mobile phones for confirmation. | Initial disbelief that the long-awaited news was finally here evaporated almost instantaneously among the crowd, many of whom turned to their mobile phones for confirmation. |
| Seconds later, the cry went up and spread among the well-wishers: "It's a boy! It's a boy!" | Seconds later, the cry went up and spread among the well-wishers: "It's a boy! It's a boy!" |
| Few greeted the news with more joy and excitement than Maria Scott, an ardent royalist from Newcastle who had been camped opposite the Lindo wing for days. "I'm so, so happy!" she shouted, struggling to make herself heard above the ecstatic celebrations. To her the baby's gender was of no importance whatsoever. "As long as he's healthy and Catherine's all right, that's the main thing." | Few greeted the news with more joy and excitement than Maria Scott, an ardent royalist from Newcastle who had been camped opposite the Lindo wing for days. "I'm so, so happy!" she shouted, struggling to make herself heard above the ecstatic celebrations. To her the baby's gender was of no importance whatsoever. "As long as he's healthy and Catherine's all right, that's the main thing." |
| Her fellow royal fans, who waved union flags – and a teddy bear in an RAF flight suit – could scarcely contain their emotions either. | Her fellow royal fans, who waved union flags – and a teddy bear in an RAF flight suit – could scarcely contain their emotions either. |
| "Diana would have been so happy," cried one. "She's a grandma!" | "Diana would have been so happy," cried one. "She's a grandma!" |
| Despite the arrival of the third-in-line to the throne, Scott said she would not abandon her vigil until the new family had left the hospital. "It's been worth the wait and I'll stay even if it's two days," she said. | Despite the arrival of the third-in-line to the throne, Scott said she would not abandon her vigil until the new family had left the hospital. "It's been worth the wait and I'll stay even if it's two days," she said. |
| As red-white-and-blue flags shook madly in the twilight, those gathered at the barriers paused to absorb the news. | As red-white-and-blue flags shook madly in the twilight, those gathered at the barriers paused to absorb the news. |
| "I feel very excited," said Sara Malo, from Seville. We have a monarchy in Spain but it's different. There's no comparison." Her mother agreed: "You care more for your royal family and you follow everything they do." | "I feel very excited," said Sara Malo, from Seville. We have a monarchy in Spain but it's different. There's no comparison." Her mother agreed: "You care more for your royal family and you follow everything they do." |
| Thomas Walker, on holiday from Manchester, was pleased to have found himself booked into a hotel so close to St Mary's. "I've been coming back and forth a few times today," he said, as a bell rang out and the cheers intensified. "I'm over the moon. I love the royal family; I'm English, that's why." | Thomas Walker, on holiday from Manchester, was pleased to have found himself booked into a hotel so close to St Mary's. "I've been coming back and forth a few times today," he said, as a bell rang out and the cheers intensified. "I'm over the moon. I love the royal family; I'm English, that's why." |
| Sharon McEwen, from Jamaica, said that she had spent the past four days "coming and going" to St Mary's. "I'm very happy," she said before breaking into another verse of "Celebration" . | Sharon McEwen, from Jamaica, said that she had spent the past four days "coming and going" to St Mary's. "I'm very happy," she said before breaking into another verse of "Celebration" . |
| The announcement followed a lengthy vigil on what had been the warmest day in Britain for seven years, for both well-wishers and the world's media. | The announcement followed a lengthy vigil on what had been the warmest day in Britain for seven years, for both well-wishers and the world's media. |
| Ten scorching hours after Kensington Palace announced that the Duchess of Cambridge had been admitted to St Mary's, Scott and her daughter, Amy Thompson, found themselves on a bench granting what was, by their reckoning, interview No 51 of the day, talking to journalists from the UK, Spain, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the US. | Ten scorching hours after Kensington Palace announced that the Duchess of Cambridge had been admitted to St Mary's, Scott and her daughter, Amy Thompson, found themselves on a bench granting what was, by their reckoning, interview No 51 of the day, talking to journalists from the UK, Spain, Germany, Japan, Sweden and the US. |
| If the pair from Newcastle were taking the long wait in their stride, it was more than could be said for the media scrum that buzzed impatiently opposite the private Lindo wing where the duchess was giving birth. | If the pair from Newcastle were taking the long wait in their stride, it was more than could be said for the media scrum that buzzed impatiently opposite the private Lindo wing where the duchess was giving birth. |
| Legions of reporters, photographers, camera crews and producers had descended on St Mary's in search of a story that was proving slow in coming. | Legions of reporters, photographers, camera crews and producers had descended on St Mary's in search of a story that was proving slow in coming. |
| At 8.15am – 45 minutes after the palace announcement of the duchess's admission – the narrow side street adjoining the hospital could still be negotiated with relative ease. | At 8.15am – 45 minutes after the palace announcement of the duchess's admission – the narrow side street adjoining the hospital could still be negotiated with relative ease. |
| But as the news spread the arrivals came in waves. First the photographers, ascending their ladders one more time to check the view for when the newly expanded family eventually leaves for home. Then the TV anchors, breathlessly relaying the dearth of news, live and on site, in dozens of different languages. | But as the news spread the arrivals came in waves. First the photographers, ascending their ladders one more time to check the view for when the newly expanded family eventually leaves for home. Then the TV anchors, breathlessly relaying the dearth of news, live and on site, in dozens of different languages. |
| Next were the tourists, who had mainly rolled up to gawp at the media. Among the early arrivals were the Zuydenwyk family from The Hague; John and Monique and their teenage daughters Anou and Milou. | Next were the tourists, who had mainly rolled up to gawp at the media. Among the early arrivals were the Zuydenwyk family from The Hague; John and Monique and their teenage daughters Anou and Milou. |
| "We walked past it yesterday and when we saw the news this morning at our hotel we decided to come back," said 16-year-old Anou. "It's pretty amazing – I've never seen so many TV crews or cameras. We've been here two hours already." | "We walked past it yesterday and when we saw the news this morning at our hotel we decided to come back," said 16-year-old Anou. "It's pretty amazing – I've never seen so many TV crews or cameras. We've been here two hours already." |
| Such a fuss was, they added, not unknown to them given the Dutch royal accession in spring which saw King Willem-Alexander succeed his abdicating mother, Beatrix. "There was a lot of TV coverage for that," said Anou, adding: "But at least something was happening." | Such a fuss was, they added, not unknown to them given the Dutch royal accession in spring which saw King Willem-Alexander succeed his abdicating mother, Beatrix. "There was a lot of TV coverage for that," said Anou, adding: "But at least something was happening." |
| As the sun became intense and the photographers dashed to Paddington station for new sunscreen supplies, those remaining faced the common media paradox of a fact-hungry world; 24-hour coverage and no actual news. | As the sun became intense and the photographers dashed to Paddington station for new sunscreen supplies, those remaining faced the common media paradox of a fact-hungry world; 24-hour coverage and no actual news. |
| Celia Whelan, a 30-year-old anaesthetist, said she had been watching the media huddle grow over the weeks from a window above. "You turn on the TV and see someone doing a piece to camera, and you can look out of the window to see them. It's fascinating for me because you never usually get to see these things but it seems strange. I'm not a royalist and you've got to say, while I wish them all the best, there's more important things going on." | Celia Whelan, a 30-year-old anaesthetist, said she had been watching the media huddle grow over the weeks from a window above. "You turn on the TV and see someone doing a piece to camera, and you can look out of the window to see them. It's fascinating for me because you never usually get to see these things but it seems strange. I'm not a royalist and you've got to say, while I wish them all the best, there's more important things going on." |
| Seemingly thinking along the same lines was a neatly dressed, eloquent man with a megaphone who popped by to harangue the media and spectators for needing to believe in fairy tales. This could be explored through psychotherapy, he explained patiently, if loudly. | Seemingly thinking along the same lines was a neatly dressed, eloquent man with a megaphone who popped by to harangue the media and spectators for needing to believe in fairy tales. This could be explored through psychotherapy, he explained patiently, if loudly. |
| The duchess's former neighbours in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury may have been geographically removed from the action in London, but they did not escape the madness either. "Oh we are very excited," John Haley, the landlord of the Boot Inn – known to television audiences worldwide as "Kate and William's favourite pub" – snarled, his renowned good humour and endless friendly words for the media finally cracking. | The duchess's former neighbours in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury may have been geographically removed from the action in London, but they did not escape the madness either. "Oh we are very excited," John Haley, the landlord of the Boot Inn – known to television audiences worldwide as "Kate and William's favourite pub" – snarled, his renowned good humour and endless friendly words for the media finally cracking. |
| "Yes I am John Haley, for my sins, and today I wish I wasn't," he told yet another journalist, before picking up a shrilling phone and telling Australia this really wasn't a good time. | "Yes I am John Haley, for my sins, and today I wish I wasn't," he told yet another journalist, before picking up a shrilling phone and telling Australia this really wasn't a good time. |
| He has known the family for years, and the couple were regular diners in the backroom restaurant, but he escaped the worst of the last major media invasion of the pub because he was actually invited to the royal wedding. | He has known the family for years, and the couple were regular diners in the backroom restaurant, but he escaped the worst of the last major media invasion of the pub because he was actually invited to the royal wedding. |
| His car park held two Jaguars and three outside broadcast vans, and between television interviews he was the only one behind the bar. "Hope it does happen this evening," Haley said, arranging a ring-round to try to draft in extra staff. | His car park held two Jaguars and three outside broadcast vans, and between television interviews he was the only one behind the bar. "Hope it does happen this evening," Haley said, arranging a ring-round to try to draft in extra staff. |
| "Let's get it over with." | "Let's get it over with." |
| When the baby finally did arrive, more excited than most outside the hospital, given his tender age, was three-year-old Frankie Moreno from west London, who sat with his mum swaddled in a union flag and with a golden paper crown on his head. "I want to see the baby!" he told his mum, Carlene. "I want to see the baby!" | When the baby finally did arrive, more excited than most outside the hospital, given his tender age, was three-year-old Frankie Moreno from west London, who sat with his mum swaddled in a union flag and with a golden paper crown on his head. "I want to see the baby!" he told his mum, Carlene. "I want to see the baby!" |
| A passing policeman paused to help out. "I'm sure you do," he told the toddler. "A lot of people do." | A passing policeman paused to help out. "I'm sure you do," he told the toddler. "A lot of people do." |
| Carlene, like her son and her mother, was born at St Mary's, so the hospital means a lot to her – as did the birth of the duke and duchess's first child. | Carlene, like her son and her mother, was born at St Mary's, so the hospital means a lot to her – as did the birth of the duke and duchess's first child. |
| "I'm so happy," she said. "Babies bring such joy don't they? But I'm a royalist anyway." | "I'm so happy," she said. "Babies bring such joy don't they? But I'm a royalist anyway." |
| As is her great aunt, who, at the age of 84, had been camped outside the Lindo wing since 2pm despite the heat. | As is her great aunt, who, at the age of 84, had been camped outside the Lindo wing since 2pm despite the heat. |
| Love of the royal family appears not to skip generations in their Maida Vale household. Despite the kindly policeman's intervention, Frankie would not be disuaded. "Mummy, I want I see the baby," he said. To which she wisely replied: "He's not ready. When he's dressed." | Love of the royal family appears not to skip generations in their Maida Vale household. Despite the kindly policeman's intervention, Frankie would not be disuaded. "Mummy, I want I see the baby," he said. To which she wisely replied: "He's not ready. When he's dressed." |
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