Prince William and Kate Middleton have asked well-wishers to donate to charity instead of giving them a gift.The new parents, who welcomed the arrival of their baby boy on Monday afternoon, have specified the Imperial College Healthcare Charity for those who wish to give donations.Their chosen charity is independent and raises and manages charitable funds for all five hospitals within Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, including St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, where Kate is currently admitted and where she gave birth.
The move is in keeping with the royal couple's previous wishes. When they married in 2011, they asked that those wishing to give them wedding presents donate instead to a fund for 26 charities, many supporting disadvantaged inner-city children.
The announcement may stop lavish gifts being bestowed on William and Kate and instead benefit charities, especially one close to their hearts where their son was welcomed into the world under the best of medical care.
The new mum and dad, who, along with their new son, "are all doing well", are not the first to turn down presents in exchange for encouraging others to donate to charity upon having a baby.
Earlier this year, Kim Kardashian requested that guests make donations to charity instead of bringing gifts to her baby shower.The reality TV star and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West recently welcomed their own first child, baby daughter North West, who was born five weeks premature.Their generous gesture may well have been inspired by another celebrity couple – Shakira and Gerard Pique. Shortly before welcoming their baby boy on 22 January, the singer and her footballer love launched an online baby shower in support of some of the world's most vulnerable babies.The interactive UNICEF website welcomed friends and fans of the couple into their virtual living room, where they could scroll through never-before-seen pictures, learn about the issue of child survival and purchase an 'Inspired Gift' to help babies around the world get off to a healthy start.