Royal Baby: Thousands celebrate at Buckingham Palace

BBC
Thousands of well-wishers descended on Buckingham Palace on Monday night to celebrate the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby boy. Many tried to glimpse a formal bulletin announcing the 16:24 BST delivery of the baby, who weighed 8lb 6oz. The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and Honourable Artillery Company will fire gun salutes in London later. Prince William said the couple "could not be happier". Kensington Palace said the baby would be named in due course. The duke stayed with Catherine and the new arrival - the third in line to the throne - overnight at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, west London. BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said it was unclear how long the baby would be kept in.

The world now awaits the couple's choice of names for their son, who will be known as the Prince of Cambridge. George is the bookmakers' favourite, followed by James and Alexander. Meanwhile, at 14:00 BST on Tuesday, the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will stage a 41-gun salute in Green Park, after riding past Buckingham Palace. At the same time, the Honourable Artillery Company - the City of London's army reserve regiment - will fire a 62-gun salute from Gun Wharf at the Tower of London. 'Doing well' After the new arrival was announced in a statement issued by Kensington Palace, a large cheer went up from well-wishers and journalists outside the hospital. A bulletin - signed by the Queen's gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, who led the medical team that delivered the baby - was taken by a royal aide from St Mary's to Buckingham Palace under police escort. It was then displayed on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace in line with tradition. The notice announced the delivery of the baby, adding: "Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well." 

The Kensington Palace press release said the Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth of his son. "The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," it said. The Prince of Wales, in a separate statement, said he and the Duchess of Cornwall were "overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. "It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy," he added. "Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone's life, as countless kind people have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and happy to be a grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing the baby in the near future." 

And Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones congratulated the couple "on behalf of the people of Wales" as "they enter their journey into parenthood".The Archbishop of Canterbury, meanwhile, said he was "delighted to congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the arrival of their baby boy"."Along with millions here and around the world, I share in their joy at this special time," he added."May God bless this family with love, health and happiness in their shared life ahead."And US president Barack Obama was among foreign leaders to send their good wishes, saying of the duke and duchess: "We wish them all the happiness and blessings parenthood brings. The child enters the world at a time of promise and opportunity for our two nations."