Welcome to the family, Louis!
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge welcomed their third child on Monday, a baby boy - now fifth in line to the throne.
After being admitted to The Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital at 6am in the 'early stages of labour', it was announced that Kate gave birth at 11am, accompanied by her husband, Prince William, and tended to by a royal team of 23.
‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs,' read a statement from Kensington Palace. 'The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz. The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth. Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.’
While the royal couple gave us a first glimpse of their newborn son as they left the hospital, with Kate giving a nod to Princess Diana with her choice of maternity dress, they have kept quiet about their name choices, only revealing their son's moniker to the world today.
Their choice? Louis Arthur Charles.
There has been plenty of speculation around the new royal baby name, with Albert, Arthur, Henry and Philip emerging as the frontrunners last week.
‘Welcome to the family’, the official Kensington Palace Instagram account posted alongside a photo of the happy couple and their newborn. ‘Thank you everyone for your kind wishes.’
The newborn’s siblings, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were collected from school on Monday afternoon by Prince William to see their new baby brother before he was introduced to the world – leaving just before their parents stepped out to pose for photos.
The couple’s choice to welcome their son in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s hospital is a nice nod to Princess Diana, who bucked royal protocol to have both Prince William and Prince Harry in that very hospital wing rather than Kensington Palace.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte were also born in the hospital’s Lindo Wing.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to return to Kensington Palace to rest and spend some quality time with their three children for the next month, before the couple are set to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding next month.
Congratulations to the Cambridges!
