The eyes of the world were on the Lindo Wing in London today as excited well-wishers patiently waited for the arrival of the new Prince of Cambridge.
But perhaps most excited of all will be Prince George and Princess Charlotte, who will no doubt be looking forward to meeting their little brother.
The Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to a little boy within just hours of being admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington – although Charlotte was the baby to be born the quickest, just two hours after her mother was admitted to hospital.
But the new Prince is the heaviest of the siblings at 8lb 7oz – heavier than both Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Here we look at how the birth compared to that of Prince George’s in July 2013, and Princess Charlotte’s in May 2015.
Kate remained in hospital for just over 24 hours when she gave birth to her first child, George, on July 22, 2013
When Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015, Kate was in and out in just 10 hours
A notice is placed on an easel to formally announce the birth of a baby boy to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Weight
The new baby Prince of Cambridge weighed 8lb 7oz – heavier than both Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Charlotte, at 8lb 3oz, weighed slightly less than George’s 8lb 6oz – but was still above average.
The average weight of a baby in the UK is around 7lb 7oz (3.5 kg).
All of three of the Duchess of Cambridge’s children have weighed more than 8lbs.
But the new prince is not the heaviest royal baby in recent years.
That title falls to Savannah Phillips – the daughter of the Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips – who weighed 8lb 8oz in 2010.
George was the heaviest future king to be born in recent history.
Prince William weighed 7lb 1.5oz in 1982, while Prince Charles weighed 7lb 6oz in 1948.
Prince Harry weighed 6lb 14oz in 1984.
The Queen – then Princess Elizabeth – was born by Caesarean section in her maternal grandparents’ London home and was also third in line to the throne at the time, but her weight was not announced, as was previously the custom for royal babies.
The new baby Prince of Cambridge weighed 8lb 7oz – heavier than both Prince George and Princess Charlotte
Timings
The duchess was taken to the private Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, before 6am on Monday in the early stages of labour, with the Duke of Cambridge at her side.
At 8.24am: Kensington Palace confirmed she had been admitted to hospital in the early stages of labour.
At 11.01am, she gave birth to a baby son.
At 1.02pm Kensington Palace announced the birth of the prince and revealed the baby weighs 8lb 7oz.
The duchess will be expected to head home to the sanctuary of Kensington Palace in a few hours, just as she did with Charlotte in 2015 – but not before introducing the new royal baby to world on the steps of the Lindo Wing.
Kate remained in hospital for just over 24 hours when she gave birth to her first child, George, on July 22, 2013.
She gave birth 10-and-a-half hours after being admitted to the Lindo Wing, at 4.24pm.
When Princess Charlotte was born on May 2, 2015, Kate was in and out in just 10 hours. Kate was admitted at 6am and Charlotte was born two hours and 34 minutes later.
At 11am on May 2, Kensington Palace announced the birth via Twitter and a website statement.
The same team of medics oversaw the birth of the three royal siblings
The duchess will be expected to head home to the sanctuary of Kensington Palace in a few hours, just as she did with Charlotte in 2015
The Team
Consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston and consultant gynaecologist Alan Farthing were the two senior royal doctors overseeing the birth of Kate’s third child today.
Both were called in for the arrival of Prince George in 2013 and Princess Charlotte in 2015.
A team of top medics was also on stand-by in case of an emergency.
The name
Two days after Prince George was born, and one day after Kate left hospital, an announcement was made confirming his name as George Alexander Louis.
Princess Charlotte was also named two days after she was born, on May 4, with a formal announcement revealing her name as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
Arthur, Albert and Philip are all thought to be in the running for the new royal baby’s name.
But the parents are likely to wait until they have informed the Queen and the rest of their family.
Two days after Prince George was born, and one day after Kate left hospital, an announcement was made confirming his name as George Alexander Louis
Baptism
George was baptised by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace, with water from the River Jordan poured into the traditional silver Lily Font.
Charlotte was christened in the same way at St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham, her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s country estate in Norfolk, eastern England.