Who was the cutest royal baby?
Take a peek at these royal family photos from the past
With Kate and William’s third-born due any day, Lauren Taylor takes a trip down royal baby memory lane.
The world might currently be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s third child – wondering if it will be another little prince or princess, and whether they will go with a traditional name again.
But what about all the royal babies that have come before?
Kate and William’s third-born will join a long line of big arrivals throughout British royal history – marked, of course, by the couple emerging, babe in arms, onto those now-familiar steps outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in West London, ready to face the cameras.
So with the countdown for tot number three well and truly on, now seems like as good an opportunity as ever to have a look back at some of our royal family as bonny babies themselves…
Queen Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth in the park
Elizabeth II was born in 1926, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. As was customary at the time, the Home Secretary was present for the birth. Of course, it wasn’t expected at this point that Elizabeth would one day become Queen. But after her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated the role, her father stepped in – and after his death in 1952, aged just 25, Elizabeth inherited the throne.
Princess Margaret
A young Princess Margaret and her sister in 1931
If Netflix series The Crown taught us anything, it was that Princess Margaret, the Queen’s sister, who died in 2002 aged 71, was a fascinating woman. She was known for being witty, headstrong and rebellious but, at eight years younger than Elizabeth, she lived somewhat in her shadow, along with the restraints that being part of the royal family brought.
Prince Charles
Prince Charles at 19 weeks old
Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s first-born, Charles, was born in 1948 at Buckingham Palace, before his mother became Queen. It was still tradition at the time for royals not to give birth in a hospital. The Queen-to-be reportedly spent 30 hours in labour and afterwards, Prince Philip, who wasn’t present during the birth, apparently said his newborn son looked like “a plum pudding”.
Princess Anne
Princess Anne on her first birthday with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh’s second child, and their only daughter, Princes Anne was born in 1950. At the time, she was second in line to the throne – but after her younger brothers were born she slipped down the pecking order because, until a change in the law in 2013, boys trumped girls as heirs, despite birth order.
Prince Andrew
Baby Prince Andrew with the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne
Almost a decade later, the Queen and Prince Philip welcomed Andrew in 1960. According to the book, My Husband And I: The Inside Story Of 70 Years Of The Royal Marriage, by Ingrid Seward, the Queen now devoted more time to motherhood than she had done before.
Prince Edward
Baby Prince Edward with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Andrew in 1964
The Queen broke with royal tradition by having her husband present during the delivery of their fourth child, Edward, in 1964. She was aged 37 at the time.
Prince William
Baby Prince William playing at home in Kensington Palace
Diana broke with tradition by choosing to give birth in a hospital, rather than at home in a palace, when she welcomed 7lb 1.5oz baby Prince William in 1982, at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital. She later said: “If men had babies, they would only have one each.”
Prince Harry
Three-month-old Prince Harry with Princess Diana
In September 1984, Harry Charles Albert David, with his wisps of red hair, arrived after a nine-hour labour. Harry and his brother William would go on to become very close, as children and as adults.
Prince George
Prince George the day after he was born
‘Royal baby fever’ was immense as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge awaited the arrival of their firstborn. It had been a long time since the birth of an heir to the throne, and it seemed the whole world was overcome with excitement (at its peak, some 25,300 tweets per minute with the hashtag #royalbaby were being sent, and 5% of global news coverage was related to the birth). Prince George was actually the heaviest royal for 100 years too, weighing in at 8lb 6oz when he arrived in July 2013.
Princess Charlotte
Princess Charlotte in her baby car seat outside the Lindo Wing
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