Birthing rules Kate Middleton must follow when the latest royal baby's born

Publish Date
Monday, 16 April 2018, 2:00PM
Photo / Getty

Photo / Getty

As the third royal baby is due any day now, rumours are swirling about his or her birth.

A recent report from The Sun suggests Kate Middleton has to follow a specific set of rules when having a child. These rules pertain to a multitude of topics including who has to be the first to learn of the child's birth, where the birthing process can take place, who can be present for the child's birth and so on, the Daily Mail reports. 

Some of the rules have been broken in the past, but some have been strictly obeyed for years. 

So what are the royal birthing traditions Kate Middleton will have to adhere to? Get the scoop on all things royal baby below.

Royal birthing traditions

According to The Sun, there are several traditions each royal woman must stick to when having a child. They pertain to different aspects of the child's birth.

The Queen must be the first person to learn of the royal baby's arrival

According to The Sun, Her Majesty the Queen has to be the first to learn that the royal baby has been born. Per tradition, the announcement is generally placed outside Buckingham Palace. Kate Middleton and Price William reportedly broke this tradition after the birth of their first son, Prince George, making the announcement on Twitter. 

The town crier makes the public announcement of the royal baby's birth

The town crier, currently Tony Appleton, is traditionally tasked with making the public announcement about the royal baby's birth. This rule dates back to medieval times.  

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Home births are preferable, though not required

Traditionally, royal babies are born in their mother and father's home. The Queen gave birth to each of her children inside Buckingham Palace.

Princess Diana didn't follow this particular protocol, instead, birthing her sons in St. Mary's Hospital in London, England. Kate followed suit, welcoming her first two children in the hospital's Lindo Wing. 

It's rumoured that she was keen on a home birth with her third child, however. This hasn't been confirmed by Kensington Palace officials at this time. 

A source told MailOnline: "The Duchess knew it wasn't possible for her first baby to be born at home, but she asked for a home birth for the second, officials and doctors thought it too risky. There was concern and in the end she decided against it."

Fathers aren't welcome in the birthing room

As a rule, fathers reportedly haven't been allowed in the birthing room during the birth of royal babies. This rule is said to have been relaxed following the birth of Prince Charles, however. 

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Midwives vow to keep birthing details to themselves

Midwives to members of the royal family are sworn to secrecy, according to The Sun. They're not allowed to share any information about the birth with anyone. 

This article was first published on Daily Mail and is republished here with permission.

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