Prince William, Duchess of Cambridge welcome baby boy
Queen Elizabeth's 6th great-grandchild weighs 8 pounds, 7 ounces
The Duchess of Cambridge and husband Prince William emerged from a London hospital at 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. London time) after Kate gave birth Monday to their third child, a boy, to give onlookers a glimpse of the new royal bundle.
Carrying the baby in her arms, Kate, 36, had freshly coiffed hair and wore a bright red dress on the steps of the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital. He weighed eight pounds, seven ounces when he was born at 6:01 a.m. ET, just a few hours after she was admitted.
The couple smiled and waved at hundreds of well-wishers and assembled journalists as they left the hospital. William later put the boy, strapped into a car seat, into a waiting car.
"Thrice the worry now," William told reporters, holding up three fingers and smiling as he got into a Land Rover to take his wife and newborn back to Kensington Palace. "We didn't keep you waiting too long this time."
"Very happy, very excited, thank you," he said. When asked about a name for the boy, William said: "You'll find out sooner or later." Bookmakers have made Albert, Arthur, Jack and Fred the favoured names for a boy.
William and Kate married in 2011. Their other children are Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, who will be three years old next month. All three children were born at the same hospital where William and younger brother Prince Harry came into the world.
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Kate and William's third child, Queen Elizabeth's sixth great-grandchild, is fifth in line to the throne, after grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and the two older siblings.
A 2013 change to the law means that for the first time in British history, a new prince will not supplant his older sister in the order of succession. Previously, younger males would take precedence over older female siblings.
William's younger brother Harry, who marries U.S. actress Meghan Markle next month, falls to sixth on the list.
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the baby's grandfather, and other members of the Royal Family and Kate's family have been informed and "are delighted with the news," Kensington Palace said.
Highly anticipated name decision
William appeared outside the hospital just after 4 p.m. local time, waving to onlookers before departing by car and returning about 30 minutes later with George and Charlotte, who waved to the crowd.
The official announcement of the birth was made by placing a notice on an easel in the forecourt of the Queen's London home, Buckingham Palace, a tradition that has been in place since it became the sovereign's official residence in 1837.
Prime Minister Theresa May congratulated the Royal Family.
"My warmest congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the birth of their baby boy," May said. "I wish them great happiness for the future."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. Gen. Julie Payette were among the international well-wishers.
Canada welcomes a baby boy to the Royal Family! Sophie & I send our congratulations to William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and to George and Charlotte on the new arrival.
—@JustinTrudeauCongratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on this wonderful news of the arrival of a little prince. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalBaby?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalBaby</a> @KensingtonPalace
—@GGJuliePayetteThe duchess carried out her last official engagement on March 22 before going on maternity leave.
As in her previous pregnancies, Kate suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. Officials announced both her previous pregnancies before the traditional 12-week mark because she was too unwell to attend public engagements.
The birth was being overseen by consultant obstetrician Dr. Guy Thorpe-Beeston and consultant gynecologist Dr. Alan Farthing — who were also called in for the births of George and Charlotte — as well as the hospital's midwives.
A large Union Flag has been raised over Buckingham Palace and a State Standard over Windsor Castle to mark the birth of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child. <a href="https://t.co/hcYYluf2fF">pic.twitter.com/hcYYluf2fF</a>
—@RoyalFamilyLike the baby's other siblings, his full title will be His Royal Highness, Prince, followed by several given names. Kensington Palace said the name of the new royal would be announced in due course.
Until a 2013 law change, the Succession to the Crown Act, the baby boy's gender would have seen him move ahead of Charlotte in succession.
William gave up his day job as an air ambulance pilot last year to concentrate full time on royal duties on behalf of his grandmother.
Television crews, journalists and royal fans had set up camp outside the hospital for the "royal baby watch" since early April.
The British royals are rarely out of the media glare, but the baby arrived at a time when the Windsors have particularly been in the limelight.
On Saturday, William joined the Queen and other senior royals, with the exception of Kate, as the monarch celebrated her 92nd birthday at a televised concert.
The Queen also played a prominent role at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London last week, where it was announced that Charles would succeed her as head of the network of mainly former British colonies.
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With files from Reuters