to think that the four hour gap between birth and announcement...

[northlight]

was a bit much. I can quite see that the parents would want an hour or even two before they let the world in, so to speak, but the family do hold the position they do and this was also a public event. It was only an announcement, there was no expectation that the father would emerge to speak to the waiting press and it would not have affected their time with the baby in any way.

Was it a pop at the press? Understandable, given the history but there were ordinary people waiting outside the palace in the heat and it seems perverse to miss the early evening news slots.

In the interests of full disclosure, I'm not a monarchist but it's the institution, not the people, I dislike. Does anyone else find this a little off?

No, they did a lot to accommodate us all in the last few days I thought - especially the lovely answering of questions and comments when they left, a bit of mild drama after the car seat was in etc. They were both lovely and charming.
Perhaps they wanted a couple of completely stress free hours with their new baby, then a couple of hours when other family and friends could be told the news, then they tell the rest of the world. Seems perfectly fair enough to me.
Just slightly odd of media to be still saying, gosh it's an 11 hour labour now (or whatever) without seemingly thinking to say "I wonder whether the baby has arrived ?"
Personally I think you could tell from Charles's body language and expression (out and about in Yorkshire) - and they could have been slightly more on the case with that possibility I thought ?

They need to very on with the name announcement

The 4 hours thing-she might have needed stitching, monitoring etc.

Get not very

Prince William made a comment to the press about not seeing much of the young Prince. I didn't really understand what it meant at the time but perhaps the baby was taken away to be thoroughly checked etc.

I really really hope that they are left alone now and not hounded everytime they take the baby out and about.

But it wasn't just an 'announcement', it was a press release. As soon as they announcement was made, the comms team would have needed to be ready for all the media enquiries. Those four hours would have been spent getting sign-off on all the information that they were able to disclose about the birth, and arrangements for the next day or so. In light of that, I'm tempted to say only four hours was remarkably quick.

So she gets stitched up, has her tea and toast, goes for shower, gets the baby dressed, gives him his first feed, has a nap, calls around family letting them know the baby has arrived and then, only then, do she and William turn their minds to letting the public know. Which is exactly as it should be.

I thought it was lovely that just for that small amount of time they got to be a little family together with nobody else knowing. That little bit of calm in the middle of the storm when it was just their secret.

Actually it made me like them more because they were treating him like their own precious little son and a human being rather than a piece of public property.

That is the only time in his life when he won't have been public press fodder.

I'm a proper, full-on, 'come the glorious revolution... ' anti-monarchist, but I'm really pleased for them that they had those 4 hours. That boy will be public property for the rest of his life, however much they do to prevent that, so to begrudge them just a few hours of him being all theirs and just theirs, is preposterous. And as others point out, all sorts of stuff can and does go on after birth, which can take hours and hours.

there were ordinary people waiting outside the palace in the heat - more fool them!

YABVU by the way.

I think the birth should have been on pay per view. Let the royal family earn their keep!

well after birth you have theweighing, the placenta delivery, the checking over of mum and baby, the skin to skin, the cuddles, the time to contemplate and reflect, the time to stare at your first born and say 'wow!' this is mine!!!

the time to have the first feed, the time for dad to bond.

and most importantly

post partem tea and toast!

Don't forget that the time of birth is the baby arriving. There's still the placenta etc to deliver, baby and mother checks to do. And let both recover, eat etc. And the family to phone.

4 hours doesn't seem much to me!

and she may have needed the anti d blood tests etc and then the needles the next day

YABU they probably wanted a bit of time to themselves before letting the world know and they probably told all the relatives first then the press

I think the four hour gap can easily be explained:

the 'baby' was actually a massive dose of trapped wind and once Kate had let out the massive nine month fart, they had to scurry round trying to find a replacement baby that looked bald and gormless enough to be Royal.

Bound to be that.

YABVU I was very glad for them that they had that private time and chance to personally phone and speak to their families. Also we have no idea what intervention kate and baby may potentially have needed post birth

Have you ever had kids? Been in labour? Held your newborn in your arms - it was quite a shock to the system and it took over an hour for placenta and stitches etc to be sorted at least!

FGS surely they are allowed some special time with their new baby before people like you start sniping at them.

Don't be so stupid. Take a look at the many threads on here discussing women's needs for a bit of space pre during and post birth. Four hours! You had to wait four hours to hear that a baby had been born that's not related to you or a friends baby. Big deal.

That's a good point Thyeternalsummer. There was me thinking aww how lovely to have some private time but in fact it could well just have been how long it took for the cogs to whir into action. If that is the case, I wish they had taken longer to tell everyone to secure a bit of personal time!

As another poster said upthread, the public don't own them!

I really wish they get left in peace for a bit now, but I think its unlikely - until some major news item takes place to distract the jackals they will be the focus, poor things. Lets face it close family have enough opinions, who want the whole world scrutinising every move a few days post partum with you PFB?!

Personally, I'd have announced it. It would have taken the pressure off.

gosh exclamation overload, sorry

An AIBU mistake I think op!
I think you can safely say there will be at least another 50 posts disagreeing with you!

seriously OP it seems to me u have never had any experience of child birth or u wudn't have started such a stupid post!

YABVVVVVVU

I think both Kate & William did exceptionally well as they had to do a whole press release! I don't think any of us could have done that after giving birth. I was out for the count & slept for 8 hours after giving birth because of exhaustion. poor Kate I don't think got any
sleep!!!

It's protocol. The hospital sign an official document giving all the details, this is then driven to the palace with a police escort as the Queen has to be officially the first person to be informed.

Then the official notice is put on a special stand in front of the palace to announce the news to the world.

Bizarrely I learnt all this from my French class - we were reading a funny piece in liberation about le 'royal baby'.

Another YABU, I had a natural third stage so didn't deliver the placenta for an hour after dd was born, as in she was literally attached to me for that hour! Then dressing/washing/weighing I didn't have stitches but that seems to take time too according to other posters.