Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child is due on Saturday, and will become the first Prince of Princess of Cambridge, the Palace said yesterday.
The Duchess of Cambridge is scheduled to give birth naturally rather than to have a caesarean section, according to royal aides. The royal couple has chosen not to find out the baby's sex until birth.
Cambridge mayor Paul Saunders said: “It is a great honour and I’m sure the people of Cambridge will appreciate it greatly.
“I think it’s lovely to continue the close link with the Royal family. I think anything which helps to keep Cambridge in the public eye is a good thing as we rely on tourism.”
Former Cambridge mayor Cllr Sheila Stewart told the Mirror, “When we did a lot of research after it was first announced that the couple were to get the title, nothing like that was found.
“There were some dukes of Cambridge but not a prince of princess,” she said. “Everyone is so excited about it. The whole country is waiting for the birth.”
Moreover, a palace spokesman said, “The royal couple’s child will officially be known as His or Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess (insert name) of Cambridge.”
The future monarch will be born in the private Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, where the Duke of Cambridge was born. He hopes to be with his wife throughout the delivery.
Aides confirmed that Marcus Setchell, 69, the Queen's former gynaecologist, will deliver the baby, assisted by the Queen's gynaecologist Alan Farthing, 50, the former fiance of Jill Dando, the murdered BBC presenter.
No announcement of the birth will be made until after the Queen, other senior members of the Royal family, and the Middleton family have been informed. If the Duchess gives birth at night no announcement is likely until the Queen has woken.
"It's important this is done with a degree of dignity and with half an eye on the historical significance," said the aides.
