Duchess Kate has gone into labour and will shortly welcome her third child! Kensington Palace confirmed the news via its official Twitter account shortly before 8.30 am on Monday 23 April in a statement that read: "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London earlier this morning in the early stages of labour. The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge."
HELLO! has taken its place outside the Lindo Wing, and will be there to give you every piece of news as and when it happens. And as we excitedly wait for the birth of Prince George and Princess Charlotte's new sibling, we're taking a look at everything you need to know about the new royal baby.
The couple's joyous news was revealed last September, with a palace statement reading: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their third child. The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news."
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The statement also noted that Kate, 36, was suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum – a form of severe morning sickness – and would not be able to carry out any planned engagements in the near future.
The doting mum sadly missed accompanying her son Prince George, four, on his first day of school at Thomas's Battersea. But six weeks later, Kate was on fighting form and back on the royal circuit.
Click through our gallery to find out the royal baby's due date, possible names, hospital details and more…
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhen did Kate go on maternity leave?
The Duchess carried out her final engagement on Thursday 22 March, spending the day with William celebrating the Commonwealth. The couple visited a SportsAid event at London's Olympic Park, followed by a cooking session at St Luke's Community Centre.
Kate is expected to give birth at the end of April. Judging by her past maternity leave schedules, she gave birth roughly 37 days after carrying out her last engagement, which would put her due date on Friday 27 April.
© Photo: PAWhen is Kate's due date?
Kate was forced to announce her pregnancy before her 12-week mark in early September, when she had to pull out of an engagement last-minute due to severe morning sickness. In mid-October, when she was officially three months along, the palace revealed that Kate is due in April 2018.
© Photo: Getty ImagesIt looks like Kate will give birth on 23rd April, which happens to be the patron saint of England's feast day, St George's Day.
Should the royal baby arrive past the reported due date, there's a chance the birth will coincide with William and Kate's seven-year wedding anniversary, on 29 April – a very special present for the happy couple.
© Photo: Getty ImagesIs Kate having a boy or a girl?
With Prince George and Princess Charlotte, the public were kept in the dark about the royal baby's gender until he or she was born. William and Kate have remained tight-lipped about their baby's gender, however, the Duchess has appeared to favour blue for several royal engagements, prompting speculation that she is hinting she is expecting a boy.
Ulrika Johnson, who predicted her own pregnancies correct, thinks Kate is having a boy, and told HELLO! that it is all about the shape of the baby bump. She said: "I remember my English grandmother talking about how, when the baby is 'out front' as opposed to 'spread evenly', it was a boy."
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhat will the royal baby be called?
British bookies are already taking bets on the names for the Duke and Duchess's third child. The new Prince or Princess will likely have a traditional name that has strong royal connections; Prince George's full name is George Alexander Louis while Charlotte's is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, paying tribute to both Her Majesty and William's mother, Princess Diana.
Current favourites for the third royal baby include Alice, Alexandra and Victoria for girls, and Arthur, Albert, Henry and Phillip for boys.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe front-runner for a girl's name is Mary. Ladbrokes now has the name ahead of Alice, with odds of 7-1. It follows a serious gamble on Mary in the north-west of England. Paddy Power has also slashed odds of the baby being called Mary from 12-1 to 3-1, while also suspending all bets on William and Kate's third child being a girl.
Are Prince William and Kate ready for baby number three?
Although the pair are clearly thrilled to be expecting their third child together, Kate has joked that Prince William might need a little more preparation before they bring home their third newborn! She spoke to dad Jamie Parsons during an evening engagement, who revealed she said: "I said, 'Congratulations, best of luck with the third one' and she said, 'William's in denial'."
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhere will Kate give birth?
Following in royal tradition, Kate delivered both Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the Lindo Wing in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London. She is expected to return to the exclusive private delivery suite for the arrival of her third child.
Reports previously claimed that Kate had discussed a home birth, to "save massive intrusion into the day-to-day running of any hospital where she gave birth," however it's more likely that she will give birth at St Mary's.
© Photo: PAWho will deliver the royal baby?
Kate is likely to put her trust in the same medical team that delivered Prince George and Princess Charlotte – Alan Farthing and Guy Thorpe-Beeston. As consultants, neither obstetrician is referred to by the title 'doctor'; instead they are called 'Mr'. A team of midwives will also be on hand on the day.
Mr Farthing – the former fiancé of the late TV presenter Jill Dando, who was murdered in 1999 – is a consultant at St Mary's Hospital as well as Queen Charlotte's Hospital in Shepherd's Bush. He also has a private practice in Harley Street.
He has worked as the Queen's surgeon-gynaecologist since 2008, taking over Sir Marcus Setchell, who was the monarch's former surgeon-gynaecologist for 18 years. Mr Farthing is one of the youngest medics to treat the royal family. He qualified as a doctor in 1986, became a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1991 and a fellow in 2003.
Mr Thorpe-Beeston, meanwhile, specialises in high-risk pregnancies, as well as multiple pregnancies and recurrent miscarriages, and is based at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist graduated from Cambridge University in 1984 and sub-specialised in foetal medicine at King's College Hospital, obtaining his MD in 1991.
The midwives
Although little has been said about the midwives who assisted the Duchess of Cambridge's first two births, Kate was visibly delighted to see Professor Dunkley-Bent during a recent royal outing, who is understood to have assisted with the delivery of Princess Charlotte. Kate put an arm around her and told the RCOG President Lesley Regan that it was "so great to see Jackie" following her visit.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhen will we first see the royal baby?
Depending on the delivery and how Kate is feeling, we could see the royal baby on the day of his or her birth. When Princess Charlotte was born on the morning of 2 May 2015, William and Kate left the hospital by the afternoon. However, with Prince George, the Duke and Duchess waited one day before leaving the Lindo Wing. The couple traditionally pose on the hospital steps for the first photos with their newborn.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHow will the news be announced?
Traditionally, the palace releases a statement announcing the birth of the royal baby. It will detail the time and date of birth, as well as the baby's weight. A further announcement revealing the baby's name follows, usually a few days later. Kensington Palace will also announce the news on their popular social media feeds including Twitter, which boasts 1.17m followers.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhere will the royal baby grow up?
When Princess Charlotte was born, the couple made Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk their main residence. But with Prince George starting school and Princess Charlotte at nursery, plus William and Kate stepping up their royal duties, they have since moved to London.
The Cambridges are now firmly rooted in the capital, and the new baby will largely be raised in their London residence, Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace. With four floors and 20 rooms, the Kensington home will offer plenty of space for the children to run around and play.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWill the couple hire a second nanny?
Prince William and Kate already rely on their Spanish nanny, Maria Turrion Borallo, for help with George and Charlotte. But Maria may have her hands full with two little ones, and William and Kate may want to hire another nanny, or a maternity nurse, for extra assistance.
The go-to helper for Kate with her last two pregnancies was also her mother, Carole Middleton, and there's every reason to believe that Grandma will be on hand the third time around.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWho will the godparents be?
For both Prince George and Princess Charlotte, William and Kate chose mostly friends as godparents, as well as a few relatives. This time they may ask closer family members to fill the roles. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are contenders; so, too, are the couple's siblings.
Kate may want her sister Pippa or brother James to play a more official role in her third child's life. Prince Harry, who has said he'd "love to have kids," is close to his nephew and niece – and, as a neighbour at Kensington Palace, would also be on hand to babysit. Harry's new fiancée Meghan Markle, who will officially join the royal family in May, could also be a 'maybe'.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWhere will the baby fall in the line of succession?
The new baby will be born fifth in line to the throne, bumping uncle Prince Harry out of the top five into sixth place. Prince Charles is first in line, followed by William, Prince George in third and Princess Charlotte fourth. Younger male siblings are no longer allowed to jump ahead of their older sisters in the line of succession.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWill Kate and William stop at three?
With Kate suffering as she does during her pregnancies, it would be understandable if she didn't want to add to her brood. However, her uncle, Gary Goldsmith, said recently: "She's a natural mother. Will she stop at three? I doubt it. They are having such fun."
The Duchess also hinted that she would like to expand her family during the Cambridge's royal tour of Poland last summer. Presented with a cuddly toy for newborns, Kate turned to William and said with a twinkle in her eye: "We'll just have to have more babies." Kate may even want to follow the Queen's lead as a mother of four.
