Kate Middleton was admitted to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London on Monday morning, with Kensington Palace confirming that the Duchess is in “early labor.”
Monday, April 23 was also Kate’s rumored due date; it is St. George’s Day in the United Kingdom, a day in honor of England’s patron saint, and seen by some royal watchers as a perfectly patriotic day for the third Cambridge baby to arrive.
As Vanity Fairreported last month, Kate had considered a home birth before opting to return to the Lindo Wing, where both Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born. “The room is all booked, the team are ready and everyone is just waiting for the baby to come,” a source said at the time. “They have had two very positive experiences at the Lindo Wing so it’s the No. 1 choice. She knows the team and she feels like she’s in very safe hands.”
It was a busy weekend for the royal family, as Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 92nd birthday on Saturday night with a concert at Royal Albert Hall, featuring performances from Tom Jones, Kylie Minogue, Shaggy, and more. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were in attendance along with Prince William, but Kate—who made her final public appearance before maternity leave in late March—was absent. She is expected to make it to Harry and Meghan’s wedding on May 19, though, and with fewer duties than she might have otherwise; as a source told Vanity Fair’s Katie Nichollrecently, “Frankly, Harry and Meghan are just happy that Kate will be there given she will only just have given birth,” said a source. “They have told her there is no pressure on her to do anything, they just want her to enjoy the day.”
Based on royal protocol of the past, the baby’s name will be announced shortly after his or her birth, and Kate and William will appear for a photo opportunity outside the hospital a few hours later.
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