Four names, a 41-gun salute...
1 The baby will be third in line to the British throne, regardless of its sex.
2 The baby will be the Queen’s third great-grandchild. Prince William’s cousin, Peter Phillips, already has two daughters: Savannah (born in 2010) and Isla (born in 2012).
3 Usually, for titled members of the Royal Family, boys are given four names and girls are given three. The baby does not have to have a surname, but if he or she does…
4…there are three options: Mountbatten-Windsor (The Queen and Prince Philip’s combined surname), Wales (used by Princes William and Harry) or Cambridge (the title given to the baby’s parents on their marriage).
5 An easel displaying a proclamation signed by doctors will be placed outside the gates of Buckingham Palace announcing the birth, as occurred 31 years ago when Prince William was born.
6 The Royal baby will be greeted with a traditional 41-gun salute.
7 The Duke and Duchess do not know the sex of the baby, claiming that they want to wait to find out at the birth.
8 The Duchess is planning to have a natural birth rather than a Caesarean.
9 The baby will be born at St Mary’s Hospital (above) in Paddington, London.
10 The Duchess of Cambridge will be staying in a suite in the private Lindo Wing of the hospital, which will cost an estimated £10,000.
12 St Mary’s is the same hospital in which the baby’s father, Prince William, was born in 1982. Previous heirs have been born at home or in Buckingham Palace.
13 Like his own father, Prince William is determined to be present at the birth. If he is on RAF Search and Rescue duty in North Wales, he could dash to the hospital by helicopter.
14 The baby will be surrounded by family on the day of arrival, including the Duchess’s mother, Carole Middleton and sister, Pippa.
15 Prince William is expected to take two weeks’ statutory paternity leave, but it is currently unknown how long the Duchess will remain out of the public eye.
16 Like Princess Diana, who took eight-month-old William on a tour of Australia, it is expected that the Royal baby will accompany his or her parents on official engagements, rather than being left to the care of nannies.
17 The Duchess will return to her family home in Bucklebury for the first six weeks of the baby’s life.
18 After work is finished on their Kensington Palace apartment, the couple and the new addition to their family will be based there (rather than their former home in Anglesey).
19 The Duke and Duchess are rumoured to have bought a blue Bugaboo pushchair ahead of the baby’s arrival (incidentally, increasing sales by 13 per cent).
20 The baby is likely to sleep in a £295 Moses basket, which the Duchess purchased from Blue Almonds in South Kensington.
21 He or she will carry the title HRH Prince or Princess.
22 When the baby is introduced to the Queen, it will be the first time in 120 years that a still-serving monarch will meet a great-grandchild born in direct succession.
23 If born when expected, the baby will be a Cancerian, the star sign believed to be kind and have an exceptional memory.
24 Along with inheriting the throne, the Royal baby will eventually become the head of the UK armed forces, the head of the Commonwealth of 54 nations, as well as the head of state in 16 countries, and the supreme governor of the Church of England.
25 Britons are expected to spend £243m on memorabilia, champagne and food for parties to celebrate the Royal birth.
2 The baby will be the Queen’s third great-grandchild. Prince William’s cousin, Peter Phillips, already has two daughters: Savannah (born in 2010) and Isla (born in 2012).
3 Usually, for titled members of the Royal Family, boys are given four names and girls are given three. The baby does not have to have a surname, but if he or she does…
4…there are three options: Mountbatten-Windsor (The Queen and Prince Philip’s combined surname), Wales (used by Princes William and Harry) or Cambridge (the title given to the baby’s parents on their marriage).
5 An easel displaying a proclamation signed by doctors will be placed outside the gates of Buckingham Palace announcing the birth, as occurred 31 years ago when Prince William was born.
6 The Royal baby will be greeted with a traditional 41-gun salute.
7 The Duke and Duchess do not know the sex of the baby, claiming that they want to wait to find out at the birth.
8 The Duchess is planning to have a natural birth rather than a Caesarean.
9 The baby will be born at St Mary’s Hospital (above) in Paddington, London.
10 The Duchess of Cambridge will be staying in a suite in the private Lindo Wing of the hospital, which will cost an estimated £10,000.
12 St Mary’s is the same hospital in which the baby’s father, Prince William, was born in 1982. Previous heirs have been born at home or in Buckingham Palace.
13 Like his own father, Prince William is determined to be present at the birth. If he is on RAF Search and Rescue duty in North Wales, he could dash to the hospital by helicopter.
14 The baby will be surrounded by family on the day of arrival, including the Duchess’s mother, Carole Middleton and sister, Pippa.
15 Prince William is expected to take two weeks’ statutory paternity leave, but it is currently unknown how long the Duchess will remain out of the public eye.
16 Like Princess Diana, who took eight-month-old William on a tour of Australia, it is expected that the Royal baby will accompany his or her parents on official engagements, rather than being left to the care of nannies.
17 The Duchess will return to her family home in Bucklebury for the first six weeks of the baby’s life.
18 After work is finished on their Kensington Palace apartment, the couple and the new addition to their family will be based there (rather than their former home in Anglesey).
19 The Duke and Duchess are rumoured to have bought a blue Bugaboo pushchair ahead of the baby’s arrival (incidentally, increasing sales by 13 per cent).
20 The baby is likely to sleep in a £295 Moses basket, which the Duchess purchased from Blue Almonds in South Kensington.
21 He or she will carry the title HRH Prince or Princess.
22 When the baby is introduced to the Queen, it will be the first time in 120 years that a still-serving monarch will meet a great-grandchild born in direct succession.
23 If born when expected, the baby will be a Cancerian, the star sign believed to be kind and have an exceptional memory.
24 Along with inheriting the throne, the Royal baby will eventually become the head of the UK armed forces, the head of the Commonwealth of 54 nations, as well as the head of state in 16 countries, and the supreme governor of the Church of England.
25 Britons are expected to spend £243m on memorabilia, champagne and food for parties to celebrate the Royal birth.