No more staring at the door of the Lindo Wing

The word is out! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex want the birth of their baby to be private. No big media circus, no appearance on the steps of the hospital. And that means nobody has to watch the door of the hospital for hours to wait for the news of the birth, nor until the parents with their newborn baby poses on the doorsteps. I have watched that door several times in the past few years on my computer, and I can tell you: it is boring!

I really don’t think many journalists, photographers or fans mind not having to wait outside the hospital for hours, days even. When I was in London recently I had a look outside the Lindo Wing of the St Mary’s Hospital. It was much smaller than I had expected and as I was there on a very windy day it was a very draughty place, where you don’t want to spend too much time. As I was alone I did manage to ask some people to take my picture in front of THE door.

Several royal babies were born at this hospital:

• 1974 The Earl of Ulster, son of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
• 1977 Lady Davina Windsor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
• 1977 Peter Phillips, son of Mark Phillips and the Princess Royal
• 1979 Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
• 1980 Lady Rose Windsor, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
• 1981 Zara Phillips, daughter of Mark Phillips and the Princess Royal
• 1981 Lady Gabriella Windsor, daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent
• 1982 Prince William of Wales, son of the Prince and Princess of Wales
• 1983 Princess Theodora of Greece, daughter of King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
• 1984 Prince Harry of Wales, son of the Prince and Princess of Wales
• 1986 Prince Philippos of Greece, son of King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
• 1988 Lord Downpatrick, son of the Earl and Countess of St Andrews
• 2013 Prince George of Cambridge, son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
• 2015 Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
• 2018 Prince Louis of Cambridge, son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Until about 1970 royal babies in Great Britain were mostly born at home. So it wouldn’t be correct to say that it was tradition for royal babies to be born at hospital, nor was it a tradition that they were born in this particular hospital. Several royal children, like the children of the Duke and Duchess of York, as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex were born in other hospitals, as were the daughters of the Earl and Countess of St Andrews.