The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in London,England in the early stages of labour, Kensington Palace says. She travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing of the hospital with the Duke of Cambridge, arriving at around 6.00am local time GMT on Monday 22nd July 2013. The news came in a brief statement from Kensington Palace after rumours began circulating that she was in labour with her first child, who will be third in line to the British throne. There was a strong police presence around the hospital and two police officers guarded the entrance to the private wing, while the world’s press have been camped outside St Mary’s for the past three weeks. The baby will be directly in line to inherit the throne after Prince Charles and William. Recent changes to the rules of succession mean if a girl is born she will not be leapfrogged by a younger brother at a later date. The sex of an infant in direct line to the throne no longer determines whether he or she wears the crown.The new royal baby will be the Queen’s third great-grandchild and is destined to be crowned monarch. It will be the 43rd sovereign since William the Conqueror if, as expected, it follows reigns by Charles then William.
