Palace officials say Prince William's wife Kate has given birth to a baby boy.

LATEST ON THE ROYAL BABY

5:30 p.m. - President Barack Obama says the new British prince has been born "at a time of promise and opportunity" between Britain and the United States. Obama said in a written statement that he and first lady Michelle Obama wish Prince William and his wife, Kate, "all the happiness and blessings parenthood brings."


EARLIER

A crowd of people take photos of the easel that officially announced the birth of the son of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace A crowd of people take photos of the easel that officially announced the birth of the son of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace
A crowd of people take photos of the easel that officially announced the birth of the son of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace ( Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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Officials said Monday the baby was born at 4:24 p.m. and weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces. The infant will become third in line for the British throne after Prince Charles and William.

Clarance House, the residence of Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cornwall, made the official announcement on their Twitter feed.

"Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well and will remain in hospital overnight," reads the official tweet and announcement. "Members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news."

The Prince of Wales in a statement called it an " incredibly special moment. "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.”

Tweetts announcing the birth of royal baby
Tweetts announcing the birth of royal baby (Twitter/ClaranceHouse)
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No one can tell what political and personal changes the intervening years will bring, but the baby can be expected to become the head of state of 16 countries, including Britain, Australia and Canada, and possibly the head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations.

The child will also eventually become Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

The baby represents a living link to Britain's imperial history -- the infant is the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria, who ruled at the peak of British power.

Royal officials say Kate and William will try to give their child as normal an upbringing as possible

Kate Checks In Early This Morning

An easel stands in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace to announce the birth of a baby boy to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
An easel stands in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace to announce the birth of a baby boy to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (John Stillwell/WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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Kate checked into a private wing at St. Mary's Hospital in central London early Monday morning.

William spent the long hours of labor at her bedside. This is the couple's first child.

ABC News' Lama Hasan tweeted that when the baby is born "there will be a 41 gun salute at green park and 62 gun salute at Tower of London."The

The baby's name will not be announced when the birth is announced according to CNN,pointing out that Prince Williams' name was announced a few days after his birth while Harry's name was revealed when he left the hospital. The fountains in London's Trafalgar Square will be lit up pink or blue depending on the royal baby's sex according to the Sun of London

CNN also reports that many British parents are holding off on naming their newborns in hopes of emulating the royal name.

Royal officials say the couple traveled by car to St. Mary's Hospital in central London without a police escort, just before 6 a.m. They entered through a side door, avoiding the world's media gathered on the street outside the private Lindo Wing of the hospital, where Princess Diana also gave birth to William and his younger brother, Prince Harry.

Betting agencies have big day on royal baby names

LONDON (AP) — Bookies are having a banner day as thousands of Britons place bets on the name of the child that will be born to Prince William and his wife, Kate.

Reporters and photographers gather outside St Mary's Hospital
Reporters and photographers gather outside St Mary's Hospital (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
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Ladbrokes took 50,000 bets in the hours after the Duchess of Cambridge went into labor Monday. Company spokesman Alex Donohue says the public has rushed to put small amounts of money — such as a pound — on the soon-to- be-born royal infant's name because they "want to be involved."

"Never underestimate the British public's obsession with the royal family," he said.

So far, the money is on Alexandra for a girl and James for a boy.

The public may have to wait, though. It is not uncommon for the palace to take its time to choose just the right name.

 

 



(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

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