News Digest

Royal baby: Kate Middleton ‘progressing as normal’ in labour

The Duchess of Cambridge’s labour is progressing normally after she was admitted to hospital, Kensington Palace has announced. Kate and husband William travelled by car from the palace to the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s hospital in Paddington early this morning. The Duchess was admitted at 6am and her labour is “progressing as normal”, the palace added. The hospital, in central London, is the same one where she gave birth to her first son, Prince George. Her due date was never officially confirmed by palace officials, but the Duchess herself told a volunteer at a children’s centre in March that she was due mid to late April.

My best wishes to the Duchess of Cambridge, who is having her second child today. The whole country will wish her well.

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted

Early in her pregnancy Kate again had to deal with the condition hyperemesis gravidarum, or extreme morning sickness, which meant the announcement came out earlier than the Duke and Duchess had hoped and before the 12-week stage. This time, however, she was treated at home, and it wasn’t long before she was back carrying out royal engagements, with her final royal outing on 27 April visiting youth projects with Prince William in south London. Once the baby is born they plan to spend a couple of nights at Kensington Palace before heading to their private residence of Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. But for now all eyes remain on that famous set of doors at the Lindo Wing, as the world again waits to meet the latest addition to the Royal Family.

There definitely hasn’t been quite as much hype in the build-up to this baby as there was with Prince George. I think it’s because there aren’t any constitutional implications this time: this baby is not the future king, and also because we have been here before.

Victoria Murphy, royal correspondent for the Daily Mirror, speaking to Sky News