Royal Babies Introduced To The World

While we wait for Baby Sussex to be announced or arrive let's look at royal babies being presented to the public over the years:

Lindo Wing, St Mary's Hospital, Paddington

Duke & Duchess of Gloucester with Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina Windsor and Lady Rose Windsor

 

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent with Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Gabriella Windsor 

 Princess Anne and Capt. Mark Phillips with Peter and Zara

Portland Hospital, London 

Duke and Duchess of York with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

 

Frimley Park Hospital, Windsor

Earl and Countess of Wessex with Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn

George And Charlotte At Trooping The Colour

Prince George and Princess Charlotte charmed the crowds at this weekend's Trooping the Colour flypast.

Appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the National Anthem and to watch the RAF flypast to mark The Queen's Official Birthday, the royal duo teamed up with Princess Anne's eldest grandaughter Savannah Phillips to provide lots of cute moments for the photographers covering the event.

At one point, Charlotte slipped and had to be picked up by mum Catherine to be consoled. Savannah also put a hand over George's mouth to silence him during God Save The Queen! 

Happy Birthday Ma'am!

The Queen at 90

Although this website focuses on the children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and eventually any children of Prince Harry, I have decided it timely to include some information about the official celebrations this weekend to mark H.M. The Queen's 90th birthday.

The Queen was born Princess Elizabeth, first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. Her birth took place on 21st April 1926 at 17 Bruton St, Mayfair, London. Her father Prince Albert was the second son of King George V and Queen Mary. Whilst being second in line to the throne it was never anticipated that Albert would ever succeed the throne.

The heir to the throne was the Prince of Wales, Prince Edward and when King George V died in 1936, Edward became King Edward VIII. However a coronation never took place. Edward was given a choice- be crowned King of England and hence Head of the Church of England or abdicate and marry his divorced American lover Wallis Simpson. He chose the latter and formally abdicated in December 1936.

Overnight the lives of the York family changed forever. Albert became King George VI, his wife now Queen Elizabeth and his daughter Elizabeth became heir to the throne. Although she had a younger sister Princess Margaret Rose, should the King and Queen have a son in the future, the boy would overtake Elizabeth as heir.

It is interesting to note that before Princess Charlotte's birth in 2015,  the law was changed so that younger brothers could not overtake older sisters in the line of succession.

Princess Elizabeth would go on to marry Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark on 20th November 1947. Prince Philip's surname was the German Battenburg but this was "softened" to Mountbatten ( his mother's British family name) to reassure Britons still suffering after World War II. Philip also had to renounce claims to the Greek and Danish thrones and covert to the Anglican Church.

Philip was a serving British Naval Officer and whilst the couple met previously, it was a meeting at the Dartmouth Naval College when the Princess was 13 that they became attracted to one another .

The couple had Prince Charles in 1948 and Princess Anne in 1950.

When King George VI died of lung cancer on February 6th, 1952 at Sandringham House, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth I was of course the daughter of Tudor King Henry VIII.

The Queen's coronation took place on 2nd June 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Prince Charles and Princess Anne looked on with their grandmother who would come to be fondly known as the Queen Mother. 

The Queen later had two further children, Prince Andrew in 1960 and Prince Edward in 1964.

The Queen has gone on to become Britain's longest serving Monarch and is also it's oldest ever Monarch.

Over this special weekend when the formal birthday festivities takes place, I will add further posts.

Royal Family 2015 Trooping The Colour source: royal.gov

Charlotte And George News

Prince William has proudly told how his daughter Princess Charlotte is already kicking a football.

"She's a very good footballer. You hold her hand and she kicks it," William said. "Very sweet".

William was attending a reception at Wembley Stadium in his capacity as President of the Football Association (FA). Charlotte will celebrate her first birthday on May 2nd.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales has spoken about his love of gardening in a BBC Radio 4 broadcast. Charles has already had grandson Prince George help him plant two trees at Highgrove House. He expressed his hope that his grandchildren will come to love gardening as much as he himself does. 

In fact Charles and sister Anne were given small plots of land to care for at Buckingham Palace when they were young children. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will start their 6 day tour of India and Bhutan on April 10th. Their children will remain at Anmer Hall with their nanny and stick to a routine which includes George attending nursery school a few mornings a week.

Wales Family 1986 Highgrove

Changes To Line Of Succession Approved

Sunday 29th March, 2015

Prince George

New changes to the Line Of Succession mean that if the new Cambridge baby is a girl, subsequent brothers cannot overtake her in succeeding the throne. 

An example of the previous law meant that Princess Anne, although second born child, was overtaken by brothers Andrew and Edward. 

Also, a monarch can now be married to a Catholic whereby previously, a member of the royal family had to give up their place in succession if they married a Catholic. This is the case for Prince Michael of Kent but he has now had his place restored.

A third change is that only the first six in line to succession need to seek the Monarch's approval for marriage instead of all members of the royal family. 

Australia was last of the Commonwealth countries where the Queen is Head of State to pass a law approving the changes this week. Britain had rushed through it's law in 2013 before the birth of Prince George of Cambridge but needed all other fifteen countries to add their consent via their own law changes.

Countdown To Baby Cambridge!

Monday 9th February, 2015

Prince George with Catherine and William

With the new Baby Cambridge due "sometime" in April, the countdown to the birth has begun. 

As with big brother George, the new baby will be born at The Lindo Wing, St Mary's Hospital in Paddington.

The Lindo Wing (est. 1937) is a private facility within the greater St Mary's Hospital. Here patients enjoy a more bespoke experience and have their own consultant-led care but if needs be, access to the teaching hospital expertise and neonatal unit is available. 

Other royal babies to be born here: 

• Prince and Princess Michael of Kent's children Lord Frederick (1979) and Lady Gabriella Windsor (1981)
• Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips son Peter (1977) and daughter Zara (1981)
• The Prince and Princess of Wales' sons Princes William (1982) and Harry (1984)

Fees for the hospital birth range from GBP 5215.00 for a normal delivery (first 24 hours) up to GBP 6745.00 for a caesarean section. 

Additional nights are GBP 945.00 (superior), GBP 1155.00 (deluxe) and prices for suites are available upon request. 

New parents are offered Champagne to toast their baby's arrival. Rooms include internet, ensuite bathrooms, fridge, a fully-reclining chair for Dad to stay overnight as well as support from specialist midwives and maternity nurses.

The only problem for Catherine and William will be the noise of well wishers and media outside the hospital! 

Leaving The Lindo with Prince Harry

Diana and Charles Leaving The Lindo with Prince William