Kate's delivery room secrets and crazy rules she had to follow

22 July 2023 , 12:16

645     0

The Princess of Wales had to follow a set of rules (Image: 2013 Anwar Hussein)

When Prince George was born at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital at 4.24pm on July 22, 2013, the world rejoiced. At the time of his birth, Prince George became the second future monarch to be born in a hospital, after his father Prince William had arrived in the same ward on June 21, 1982.

While the Prince and Princess of Wales were thrilled, a strict set of royal protocols quickly kicked in which the couple had to follow. These included that the late Queen had to be the first to know, an easel had to be displayed at Buckingham Palace, a town crier had to announce the news to the public and all hospital staff are sworn to secrecy.

Another tradition that Kate introduced was hypnobirthing after her well-documented struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum, a form of morning sickness.

While stressing hypnobirthing isn’t for everyone, Kate appeared on Giovanna Fletcher's podcast 'Happy Mum Happy Baby' and said: "It was through the hyperemesis that I really realized the power of the mind over the body.

The couple had to follow the rules (Getty Images)

“I’m not going to say that (Prince) William was standing there sort of, chanting sweet nothings at me. He definitely wasn’t. I didn’t even ask him about it, but it was just something I wanted to do for myself.”

Kate Middleton swears by £19.99 rosehip oil that helps 'reduce wrinkles & scars'

“It was hugely powerful,” Kate said, adding she “quite liked labour,” primarily because she knew it was going to end.

The Princess of Wales opened up on Giovanna's podcast (PA)

In preparation for the birth of their first child, the couple were understood to have had a number of lessons from experts, one of whom was the late obstetric physiotherapist, Christine Hill, who passed away last year.

It was understood that the antenatal teacher gave the royal couple private lessons ahead of the birth in the conservatory at her West London home.

Following Mrs Hill's passing last year, a family spokesman said: "She will be achingly missed. Her feisty, amusing, straightforward demeanour won her many friends."

It was revealed that Kate attended a number of these special lessons given by the expert in her West London conservatory, while Prince William was present for one of them.

The late expert previously spoke to The Telegraph about the Prince and Princess of Wales.

She said: "Kate is a delightful girl, what you see is what you get." She went on to praise the couple, saying that they are, "a very strong team".

Rebecca Russell