Royal baby news: The Queen due to be the first royal to visit Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's newborn today

Robert Jobson7 May 2019

The Queen was expected to be the first royal to visit her eighth great-grandchild today.

The monarch, who is in residence at Windsor Castle, is likely to make the one-mile journey to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s home, Frogmore Cottage on the Home Park estate.

The British public are likely to get their first sight of the unnamed baby boy — who is seventh in line to the throne — at a photo-call tomorrow when his parents have agreed to pose for TV and still photographs.

But the Prince of Wales, who is said to be overjoyed, will have to wait until the end of the week, when he returns from a three-day visit to Germany, to meet his new grandson.

The name of the baby boy, who could take his father’s secondary title, Earl of Dumbarton, was expected to be revealed before the photo-call, but that had not been confirmed.

Bookies are quoting Alexander, James, Arthur and Spencer as the favourites.

Prince Harry was at Meghan's side during the birth
Reuters

The Duchess of Sussex’s hopes of a home birth were dashed when she was taken to hospital in central London on Sunday evening by Prince Harry and their Scotland Yard security team.

Meghan — who was a week overdue — was whisked off amid such secrecy that even senior royals were not informed. It is understood she was taken to Marylebone’s Portland Hospital, where Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie of York were born.

Meghan, 37, is thought to have remained there overnight before the arrival of her baby at 5.26am yesterday, with proud father Harry at her side.However, Buckingham Palace has still not officially confirmed that she had a hospital delivery and the Sussexes have said they wanted to keep details surrounding the birth of their first child private.

Thrilled Prince Harry after the birth of his son

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By contrast, Harry’s brother and sister-in-law the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge faced a mass photocall at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, within hours after all three of their children were born.

Meghan was adamant that she did not want to do this and was supported by Harry and the Queen in her decision.

Instead, Harry gave an interview to a small media pool as the Palace issued a statement to the rest of the media confirming the couple had a baby son and that mother and baby were doing well.

Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland is with her at Frogmore Cottage but it is not known if the duchess has personally informed her estranged father, Thomas Markle, of the birth.

The Palace announced that Meghan had gone into labour shortly before 2pm yesterday
AP

Harry, who has never met his father-in-law, made a point of saying in the official announcement of the birth that his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales’s siblings Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes had all been informed in advance of the statement.

Both Meghan and Harry had studied hypnobirthing techniques and were hopeful of having an all-female midwife-led delivery in the privacy of Frogmore Cottage.

But this was not possible. At the age of 37 — meaning she was classed in medical terms as “geriatric” — and a first-time mother, there was too high a risk of medical intervention being needed.

The Palace did not announce that Meghan had gone into labour until shortly before 2pm yesterday.

At 2.40pm a second statement announced that the couple were delighted to welcome a son.

And at 4.45pm the traditional easel confirming the birth was erected at Buckingham Palace.

Announcing the happy news after Meghan and the baby went home to Frogmore yesterday, Prince Harry could not hide his joy as he spoke of his “amazing” son. The 34-year-old said he and his wife were “absolutely thrilled” and confessed that he had snatched only a couple of hours of sleep, adding with a broad grin: “This little thing is absolutely to die for, so I’m over the moon.”

Royal fans camped out overnight in Windsor High Street hoping to catch a glimpse of the baby tomorrow. Chris Imafidon, who has met Meghan five times on her royal engagements with education charities, said: “The rumour mill is saying that they might all come out together as a family but we are prepared to wait. I was here when the news broke that he was a boy, it was like ‘wow another Harry!’ I hope he is as bubbly as Harry is.”

Sharon McEwan, 58, from Kilburn, added: “I can’t wait to see the baby. They will probably keep him all wrapped up in blankets because it is so cold out here… I will be here as long as it takes but I’d like to be home by tomorrow night.”

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