He’s
here! With the world watching, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, also
known as Kate, gave birth to a bouncing baby boy on Monday.
The birth of the royal baby topped international news Monday and is
expected to cause big celebrations throughout Britain. The media had
been eagerly awaiting the baby’s arrival for the past month as Kate’s
rumored due date of mid-July approached.
Already, the newest royal has a clear path to power. As the first
child of Prince William and Kate, the baby is third in line to the
throne. Under Britain’s monarch system, the only two people ahead of the
baby are his father William and grandfather, Prince Charles. William’s
brother, Prince Harry, will be bumped down to fourth in line.
Now that the royal baby is here, he will no doubt continue to draw
international attention. The birth has already sparked big sales of
baby-related merchandise at stores in London and throughout Britain.
Stores in London have been selling clothes, plates, and other products
related to the royal birth, just as they did for William and Kate’s
wedding in 2011.
JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images
Crowds of tourists gather outside Buckingham Palace
in central London on July 22 as they wait for news of the royal baby's
birth.
A Day of Excitement
Royal officials announced early Monday morning that Kate was in
labor, and traveled to St. Mary’s hospital in central London just before
6 a.m. The duchess gave birth in the private Lindo Wing of the
hospital, where Princess Diana also gave birth to William and Harry.
Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets near the hospital and
around Buckingham Palace, which is the official workplace of the British
monarch system. TIME took to the streets outside of St. Mary’s Hospital
and Buckingham Palace to ask the well-wishers what made them so excited
about this royal birth. Many people, like 47-year-old Shaun Melass, a
real-estate broker from Pretoria, South
Africa, on vacation in
London,
said part of the thrill came from being a part of a historical
event and all the hoopla that went with it. “I love the pomp and the
ceremony,” he said. Peter Davenport, 82, from Richmond, southwest
London, was also outside Buckingham Palace on Monday, waiting for news
of the birth. “It is all tied back to tradition—it goes back for
generations,” he said.
The birth was announced with a mix of tradition and social media. The
public first heard the news when a royal aide emerges from the hospital
with a signed notice. The notice was posted on an easel
in public view
in front of Buckingham Palace.
At the same time as the bulletin was posted, there was an official
announcement on Twitter and the media was formally notified. The
document gave the baby's gender, weight, and time of birth. The boy was
born at 4:24 p.m. and weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz.
There was a great deal of speculation about the baby’s gender. The
royal couple had revealed few details before the birth, preferring to
keep Kate’s pregnancy as private as possible.
MAX MUMBY—INDIGO/GETTY IMAGES
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge,
stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during a ceremony marking the
Queen of England's birthday on June 15 in London, England. This was
Kate's last public appearance before taking time off from her royal
duties to prepare for the birth of her baby.
Royal watchers were particularly interested in the baby’s gender
because if the baby had been a girl, this would have been the first time
she could have inherited the throne without being nudged aside in favor
of a younger brother. Until 2011, rules dating back centuries stated
that the crown passed to the oldest son and could only go to a daughter
when there were no sons.
However, it could be a while still before the royal couple announces
the new baby’s name. When William was born, a week passed before his
name was announced. Charles's name remained a mystery for an entire
month. Until then, he will be known officially as His Royal Highness,
Prince of Cambridge.
A Royal Tradition
England is one of the few countries in the world that still has a
monarch system. The Kings and Queens of England were once powerful,
ruling over a vast empire. Today, the British monarch’s powers are more
limited.
In the past, the royal children were kept apart from their peers and
were often raised by governesses. Many royal children attended boarding
schools far away from home. Prince Charles went to boarding school at
age 8. Kate has said she does not want a nanny to raise her child, but
the media has questioned whether that will be possible with all of the
new mother’s royal responsibilities.
Royal baby: What gift would you give?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/quizzes/2013/07/130718_royal_baby_quiz.shtml
