The arrival of a new royal baby is expected to boost visitor numbers to London, according to tourist chiefs.
VisitLondon.com is predicting that the British capital will welcome nearly 32million UK and overseas tourists this year – well up on the 29.1 million total achieved in 2013 – the year Prince George was born.
The year of 2013 was a record-breaking one for London, with almost 17 million overseas visits made to the capital.
Gordon Innes, chief executive of London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s official promotional company which runs VisitLondon.com, said: “While it’s impossible to quantify the effect the birth of a new royal baby will have on the number of tourists visiting London, it’s clear that London’s tourism is going from strength the strength, and its royal connections and attractions are key drivers that attract people from the UK and abroad to the capital.”
The royal princess, who is fourth in line to the throne and second child of Kate Middleton and Prince William, was delivered at 08:34 BST on Saturday, May 2nd, at St Mary’s Hospital in London, and weighed 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg).
Just hours after the birth of the new royal princess on Saturday, May 2nd, messages of congratulations for Kate Middleton and Prince William keep pouring on.
The newest royal member came to the world at 8.34 BST at St, Mary’s Hospital in London, weighing 8lb 3 oz.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have extended their best wishes to second-time parents Prince William and Kate Middleton.
In a statement from the White House, Barack and Michelle Obama wished the duke and duchess “much joy and happiness on the occasion of the arrival of the newest member of their family”.
The name of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s second child – sister to Prince George – could be announced on Sunday, May 3rd.
The newborn princess, who is fourth in line to the throne, was delivered at 08:34 BST on Saturday, May 2nd, at St Mary’s Hospital in London, and weighed 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg).
Photo AFP
Bookmakers have said Charlotte and Alice have emerged as the favorite names for the princess, followed by Olivia, Victoria and Elizabeth.
A spokeswoman for Ladbrokes said: “We’ve never known a day of royal speculation like it. Charlotte is the new favorite, but Olivia is the name on the nation’s lips.”
Soon we will know her name. The absence of knowledge hasn’t stopped the speculation. Elizabeth, Victoria, Alice and Charlotte have all attracted bets at the bookies.
Will Prince William honor his mother and choose Diana for one of the royal baby’s names?
London landmarks turned pink on Saturday night to mark the birth of the new royal princess.
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s second child, who is fourth in line to the throne, was delivered at 08:34 BST on May 2nd at St Mary’s Hospital in London, and weighed 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg).
Tower Bridge was among several London landmarks lit up in pink in the new princess’ honor.
Trafalgar Square’s fountains and the London Eye were also illuminated on Saturday night to mark the birth.
On May4th, the princess’s birth will be marked by gun salutes in Hyde Park and the Tower of London.
Soldiers from The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery will ride out in procession from Wellington Barracks, near Buckingham Palace to sound 41 shots in the park at 14:00 BST.
A 62 Gun Salute by the Honourable Artillery Company will take place at the Tower of London at the same time.
The newborn royal princess has spent her first night at Kensington Palace.
The name of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s second child – sister to Prince George – could be announced later and members of the Royal Family and the Duchess’s parents may visit.
The princess, who is fourth in line to the throne, was delivered at 08:34 BST on May 2nd at St Mary’s Hospital in London, and weighed 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg).
Photo AP
Tower Bridge was among several London landmarks lit up in pink in the new princess’ honor.
Trafalgar Square’s fountains and the London Eye were also illuminated on Saturday night to mark the birth.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will spend the next few days at Kensington Palace before they are expected to travel to their country home Anmer Hall on the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Bookmakers have said Charlotte and Alice have emerged as the favorite names for the princess, followed by Olivia, Victoria and Elizabeth.
A spokeswoman for Ladbrokes said: “We’ve never known a day of royal speculation like it. Charlotte is the new favorite, but Olivia is the name on the nation’s lips.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William have presented their newborn daughter to the world as they left St Mary’s Hospital in London.
The princess is the couple’s second baby and the fourth in line to the British throne.
The baby girl was “safely delivered” at 08:34 BST, the Kensington Palace statement said.
Kate Middleton, Prince William and their daughter have left the hospital on the same day the Duchess gave birth to the princess.
The couple will travel home to Kensington Palace, where their firs born, Prince George, wait for his sister.
In a statement, the Kensington Palace said: “Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank all staff at the hospital for the care and treatment they have all received.
“They would also like to thank everyone for their warm wishes.”
Kate Middleton has given birth to a girl at St Mary’s Hospital in London on May 2nd.
The name of the baby will be announced in due course, the Kensington Palace said.
There has been much speculation about the princess’s name, with Alice being the favorite with several bookmakers. Charlotte, Elizabeth and Diana have also been popular with punters.
Prince George’s name was announced two days after his birth, which is a relatively quick turnaround compared with previous royal babies.
Prince William’s name was announced after 7 days in 1982, and there was a wait of a month following Prince Charles’s birth in 1948.
The new royal will not be overtaken in the line of succession by any future younger brothers.
Under new rules which came into force in March, male bias was removed from the succession rules.
She will also be known as the Princess of Cambridge after a Letter Patent was issued by Queen Elizabeth II.
It declared: “All the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of royal highness with the titular dignity of prince or princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honor”.
The princess will also be able to marry a Roman Catholic without losing her place in line to the throne.
Prince George has visited his newborn sister at St Mary’s Hospital, in London.
Prince William, who was present for the birth of the 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg) baby girl, brought his 21-month-old son to the hospital.
The Duke of Cambridge told the waiting crowds the couple were “very happy”.
It is the first time Prince George has been officially seen in public in the UK since he left the same hospital as a newborn in 2013.
Kate Middleton has given birth to a girl at 08:34 BST, Kensington Palace has announced.
The newborn princess is fourth in line to the throne.
Both Kate Middleton and her daughter are “doing well”, Kensington Palace said.
The name of the baby will be announced in due course.
Prince Charles, who had earlier said he was hoping for a granddaughter, and his wife Camilla said they were “absolutely delighted”.
Kate Middleton had been admitted to the private Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, west London, at 06:00 BST.
The birth announcement came just after 11:00 BST.
The statement from Kensington Palace added: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news.”
The newborn princess joins the line of succession behind her grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and brother Prince George, who was born at the same hospital in July 2013.
The princess is Queen Elizabeth II’s fifth great-grandchild.
Hundreds of well wishers have gathered outside St Mary’s Hospital to catch a first glimpse of the new princess.
There has been lots of speculation about a name from small girls in the crowd, from Disney-inspired Belle and Ariel to Alex, Stella and Rose.
A large number of journalists, photographers and broadcasters had gathered after the announcement that Kate Middleton was in labor.
Following the announcement of the birth, standing on the steps of the Lindo Wing, unofficial town crier Tony Appleton told crowds: “We welcome with humble duty the new baby of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Kate Middleton has given birth to a girl, Kensington Palace has announced on May 2nd.
The newborn – who is fourth in line to the throne – was “safely delivered” at 08:34 BST, the palace said in a statement.
Prince William was present for the birth of the baby, who weighs 8lbs 3oz (3.7kg).
Both Kate Middleton and her daughter are “doing well”, the statement added.
The Duchess of Cambridge had earlier been admitted to the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital where Prince George was born in July 22, 2013.
The statement from Kensington Palace added: “The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news.”
The royal baby girl joins the line of succession behind her grandfather Prince Charles, father Prince William and brother Prince George.
Britain’s bookmakers say they have received thousands of bets on the second royal baby’s gender and possible name.
Most people seem convinced that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s newborn will be a girl, despite the lack of any solid evidence to back that up.
All the top bets for the baby’s name are for girls – Alice and Charlotte are the clear favorites, followed by Elizabeth, Victoria and Diana. All of the names have strong connections to royal tradition.
Prince Charles has also signaled that he is hoping for a granddaughter, which led some to speculate that he has some inside information.
The British monarchy has not welcomed a princess born this high up the line of succession for many years.
Princess Anne, Prince Charles’ sister, was born third in line in 1950.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, were fifth and sixth in line at the time of their birth.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby No 2’s birth announcement will be made via Twitter, People magazine reported.
Once the second royal baby is born at St. Mary’s hospital in London, the news will be announced via an official email and Kensington Palace will update its social media accounts, including Twitter and Instagram.
The royal baby tweets and Instagram posts will announce the baby’s gender, time of birth, and weight.
In January 2015, Kate Middleton, Prince William, and Prince Harry officially joined Twitter and Instagram under the handle @KensingtonRoyal.
As with Prince George’s birth in 2013, a birth notice will be placed on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace that will include the baby’s gender, weight and time of birth.
For the first time, a royal announcement will be a mix of tradition and technology.
Prince William and Kate Middleton will make the traditional appearance on the steps of the hospital when they leave.
Weeks ago, parking restrictions were put in place outside of that legendary brown door where Prince Will and Kate Middleton will present their baby to the world, much like they did when Prince George was born.
A sign outside of the hospital says the restrictions are in place for a “special event”.
Kate Middleton’s pregnancy with the second royal baby is overdue, but according to a new report, a birth should be expected within days.
Pippa Middleton earned a little over $350,000 in 2014 with her booming business venture, PXM Enterprises.
According to government filings for the company, the total cash on hand is listed as around $325,000.
Kate Middleton’s sister is also writing articles for Vanity Fair and The Telegraph on a variety of topics from politics to hostess tips and even sports.
Pippa Middleton, 31, also edits the web magazine Party Times for her parents’ Party Pieces online business.
In 2014, Pippa Middleton also managed to publish her very own book, Celebrate: A Year of British Festivities for Families and Friends.
Kate Middleton and 16-month-old Prince George visited the Winter Wonderland holiday fair in London’s Hyde Park.
The Duchess of Cambridge and her son stopped by the holiday fair on December 12. During the visit, Kate Middleton and Prince George enjoyed a spin on a traditional twirling teacup ride.
Prince George donned an all-white outfit during the Winter Wonderland trip and Kate Middleton kept a low profile, E! Online reported.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have released three official Christmas pictures of Prince George.
The photos were taken in late November and show Prince George in a courtyard at Kensington Palace.
The third-in-line to the throne celebrated his first birthday in July, and is now almost 17 months old.
The shots of Prince George were taken by Prince Harry’s private secretary Ed Lane Fox, who has also worked as a freelance photographer.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are releasing the images, in part, as a thank you to the media, who have not published any of the paparazzi pictures that have been taken of the prince.
The couple are said to be grateful that their request for their son to grow up without intrusion continues to be honored.
Prince William and Kate Middleton announced in September the Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant with a second child.
Prince William and Kate Middleton met LeBron James in New York on December 8 after watching a basketball game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Barclays Center indoor arena.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also presented with NBA shirts, including a small one for their young son, Prince George.
While posing for photographs, LeBron James appeared to surprise Kate Middleton by breaking royal protocol and placing his arm around her.
The breach of protocol echoed the time when Michelle Obama caused a stir by putting her arm around Queen Elizabeth II in 2009.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are on their first official trip to the US since 2011.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended a basketball game in New York as about 200 people demonstrated nearby against incidents of police violence in the US.
The royals met player LeBron James and Jay-Z and Beyonce at the Barclays Center, where the Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Brooklyn Nets.
LeBron James – commonly known as King James – presented them with Cavaliers shirts.
He was among stars to wear T-shirts protesting against police violence.
The T-shirts carried the words “I can’t breathe”. They refer to last words spoken by Eric Garner, a black man who died after being held in an apparent chokehold by a white New York police officer.
It was the sixth straight night of protests in the city, following the December 3 decision by a grand jury not to press charges over the incident.
Photo EPA
Activists staged a “die in” lying on the pavement outside the arena.
Prince William and Kate Middleton sat courtside for the final two quarters of the basketball match at the end of the first full day of their US visit.
Images of Prince William, casually dressed in a blue and red checked shirt, and Kate Middleton in a grey jacket and jeans, were flashed up on the arena’s big screen, to cheers from the crowd.
Jay-Z and his singer wife Beyonce chatted to the royal couple during an interval.
At the end of the game, LeBron James, who led the Cavaliers to a 110-88 victory over the Nets, presented them with a Cavaliers shirt marked Cambridge and another carrying the name of their one-year-old son Prince George.
Earlier in the day, Prince William held talks with President Barack Obama at the White House and delivered a speech to the World Bank on wildlife crime.
Kate Middleton, who is five months pregnant with her second child, stayed in New York and visited a children’s centre in Harlem.
They both later attended a reception to highlight wildlife conservation efforts at the British Consul General’s residence where they met the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea.
The final day of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s three-day trip will include a technology reception for UK and US entrepreneurs at the Empire State Building and a visit to the memorial to those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks.
Prince William has met President Barack Obama at the White House as part of a three-day visit.
The talks were held in the Oval Office, in advance of delivering a speech to the World Bank on wildlife crime.
During the speech, Prince William described the illegal wildlife trade as “one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today”.
Meanwhile, Kate Middleton visited a New York children’s centre.
Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived in New York on Sunday night, with the prince travelling to Washington alone on Monday.
At the White House, Prince William joked with Barack Obama about the birth of Prince George, saying: “The excitement of the event and everything else was just chaos.”
He added that he expects a “busy year” in 2015, when Kate Middleton is due to give birth to the royal couple’s second child.
Barack Obama said the prince’s work to protect endangered wildlife was “very important”.
Later, in his speech at the World Bank, Prince William said: “In my view, one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today is the illegal wildlife trade.”
He attacked those who “loot our planet to feed mankind’s ignorant craving for exotic pets, trinkets, cures and ornaments derived from the world’s vanishing and irreplaceable species”.
Prince William founded the umbrella organization United for Wildlife to try to preserve the planet’s most endangered animals and habitats.
The Duke of Cambridge has been the royal patron of Tusk since 2005. The charity supports projects in 17 African countries, aimed at protecting wildlife and alleviating poverty.
Before starting at St Andrews University, Prince William went on a gap year, some of which was spent in Africa learning about its wildlife and game conservation.
Paying tribute to his father, Prince Charles, and his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, he said: “They helped to bring about a revolution in attitudes towards our natural environment.”
He added: “From them, I learned that our relation to nature and wildlife goes to the heart of our identity as human beings. From our sheer survival, to our appreciation of beauty and our connection to all other living things.
“Seen in this light, the extinction of any of the world’s species of animals is a loss to all humanity.”
Prince William said wildlife crime “goes to the heart of our security”, “distorts economic development” and “fuels sources of conflict”.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have landed in New York for a tour of the US east coast.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in the US for three days, during which Prince William will meet President Barack Obama.
Kate Middleton, who is pregnant with the couple’s second child, will accompany Prince William to pay respects to those who died in the 9/11 terror attacks.
Danny Lopez, the British consul general in New York, said there had been “incredible interest” in the visit.
He added there has been a huge “level of excitement” from people in the city.
Prince William is also expected to give a speech at a World Bank conference in Washington on combating illegal wildlife trafficking.
Highlighting the scale of the problem the prince is expected to say “some endangered species are now literally worth more than their weight in gold”.
Prince William is set to describe the trade in elephants tusks, rhino horns and other animal parts as “one of the most insidious forms of corruption and criminality in the world today”.
His speech is also expected to make reference to China, which has a market for endangered animal parts, and say that the wholesale price of ivory has risen from $5 to $2,100 per kilogram in the last 25 years.
Prince William will argue that this price hike has increased poaching around the world, and he will urge people to take action.
He will say: “Our collective goal must be to reduce the wildlife trade by making it harder: denying traffickers access to transportation, putting up barriers to their illegal activities, and holding people accountable for their actions.
“Those who look the other way, or spend the illicit proceeds of these crimes, must be held to account.”
And talking about those who engage in the trafficking of animal parts he will say: “Together they loot our planet, to feed mankind’s ignorant craving for pets, trinkets, cures and ornaments derived from the world’s vanishing and irreplaceable species.”
Prince William will be joined by former foreign secretary William Hague, who hosted the government’s conference on illegal wildlife trade in February.
President Barack Obama has welcomed Prince William’s work on the issue, which he called a “a devastating environmental problem”.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are also set to attend an NBA basketball match during the trip.
Kate Middleton will also visit an organization supporting families in Harlem called the Northside Centre for Child Development.
Prince William will meet President Barack Obama at the Oval Office on December 8, the White House has announced.
The meeting is part of a three-day trip to the US east coast with Kate Middleton, including Prince William’s first visit to Washington.
The Duke of Cambridge is expected to give a speech at the World Bank on combating illegal wildlife trafficking.
Barack Obama has welcomed the prince’s work against what he called “a devastating environmental problem”.
The White House press secretary said the issue was also a “national security threat”.
Speaking about Prince William’s trip to America, he added that it “underscores the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom”.
In February, Prince Charles and Prince William attended an international conference held in London where a declaration was signed on fighting the illegal trade in wildlife.
While Prince William attends events in Washington, Kate Middleton will join Chirlane McCray – writer and wife of New York mayor Bill De Blasio – on a visit to a local child development centre.
Prince William previously met President Barack Obama when he travelled to London for a state visit in 2011.
The royals will also attend events in support of organizations including their Royal Foundation, which supports the welfare of service personnel and young people.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagements include promoting sustainable conservation, young people’s mental health and supporting disadvantaged young people.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s lawyers have asked a photographer to “cease harassing” Prince George and his nanny.
A Kensington Palace statement said they were prompted to take action after the man was spotted near 14-month-old Prince George in a central London park.
The statement said: “No parent would tolerate the suspicion of someone pursuing and harassing their child and carer.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton are not taking legal action at this stage.
The man had been warned off last week by royal protection officers and that he had also been spoken to “over a number of years” about his behavior.
Since his birth in July 2013, Prince William and Kate Middleton have posed for a number of official photographs with Prince George (photo Jason Bell)
The Kensington Palace statement added: “There is reason to suspect that the individual may have been placing Prince George under surveillance and monitoring his daily routines for a period of time.
“The duke and duchess understand the particular public role that Prince George will one day inherit but while he is young, he must be permitted to lead as ordinary a life as possible.”
Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo was named as the prince’s nanny in March when the palace appealed for her privacy to be respected.
Since his birth in July 2013, Prince William and Kate Middleton have posed for a number of official photographs with Prince George.
Prince George has also been pictured accompanying his parents on state visits and with the palace’s consent at other events.
The Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO) editors’ code of practice states that young children “must not be interviewed or photographed on issues involving their own or another child’s welfare unless a custodial parent or similarly responsible adult consents”.
IPSO replaced the defunct Press Complaints Commission last month.
Prince George celebrated his first birthday on Tuesday, July 22, with a tea party at Kensington Palace.
According to royal reports, Queen Elizabeth II has chosen a priceless gift for Prince George, from the Royal Collection, while first-edition Beatrix Potter books are also on the birthday boy’s thank-you list.
Wooden toys, including a train set spelling out George’s name, are said to be proudly on display in the nursery. Over the course of the day, Prince George has received countless gifts from stores and companies around the country.
Prince George celebrated his first birthday on July 22 with a tea party at Kensington Palace (photo PA)
My 1st Years, an online store that specializes in personalized goods, sent Prince George a hamper containing miniature Ugg boots with his name on them, a personalized pair of sneakers, and a smart blue-and-white striped shirt.
Celebrities have also sent plenty of gifts. Victoria and David Beckham, who were guests at the wedding, are said to have sent designer clothes over to the palace, while celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his clothes designer wife, Jools Oliver, who has her own line for Mothercare, have reportedly sent Prince George a collection of collared onesies and a new pair of navy cruiser shoes. Mothercare has also reportedly sent Prince George his very own plastic Kensington Palace, complete with a figurine of himself.
A very special bottle of Pinot Noir from the Central Otagowine region in Queenstown, New Zealand, which Prince William and Kate Middleton visited in April, has also been sent to Kensington Palace. The magnum of Pinot Noir harvested the year the prince was born will be laid down in the cellars for George’s 18th birthday.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have released new pictures as Prince George Alexander Louis celebrates his first birthday.
Two new pictures of the third in line to the throne have been released to mark the occasion on Tuesday, July 22.
One shows Prince George transfixed by a butterfly, while a second shows him with his mother and father, staring at an object above their heads.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have released new pictures as Prince George Alexander Louis celebrates his first birthday (photo PA/John Stillwell)
The pictures were taken a few weeks ago at London’s Natural History Museum by the Press Association’s John Stillwell.
In a statement, Prince William and Kate Middleton thanked people for their “warm and generous good wishes”.
The couple said: “We would like to take this opportunity on George’s first birthday to thank everyone over the last year, wherever we have met them, both at home and overseas, for their warm and generous good wishes to George and our family.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton are expected to hold a birthday party for the young prince on Tuesday at their Kensington Palace apartment.
An official photograph of Prince George Alexander Louis – known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge – has been released to mark his first birthday.
Prince George, whose birthday is on July 22, was pictured at the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum.
Prince George pictured at the Sensational Butterflies exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum ahead of his first birthday (photo AP/ John Stillwell)
The image was taken a few weeks ago by the Press Association’s John Stillwell.
His parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, are expected to hold a birthday party on Tuesday at their Kensington Palace apartment.
John Stillwell also photographed Prince George’s first public appearance the day after he was born and his christening last October.
“Prince George was very lively and very sure of himself and confident – a very determined young boy,” the photographer said.
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