Countdown to the royal baby

Published by Emma Lee-Potter in on Thursday 4th July 2013

IMG_1979The newspaper picture took me straight back to my royal reporting days.

Rows and rows of metal stepladders have suddenly appeared outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington – ready for the royal birth.

There are still two weeks to go before Kate Middleton’s baby is due but Fleet Street’s finest aren’t taking any chances.

The photographers have been camped outside the hospital night and day since the beginning of July – just in case the royal baby arrives early.

It was exactly the same before Prince William and Prince Harry were born and before the arrival of Fergie’s elder daughter Beatrice too. She was born at 8.18pm on August 8 1988 – a date I remember all too well because I was a member of the press pack waiting for news outside London’s very posh Portland Hospital.

But now the media pack awaits the birth of William and Kate’s baby. And London shopkeeper Raj Venkat is probably one of the happiest people in the district. For the last week he has been selling painters’ stepladders like hot cakes, even though he’s utterly bemused by the sudden demand and told one newspaper he had no idea why a load of people carrying big cameras seemed to be buying up every ladder in sight.

PS. Carol Vorderman has a beautiful face, lustrous hair and an hourglass figure. But I won’t be following her fashion tips for the over-50s any time soon. She says that it is “heartbreaking” that women choose shapeless, dowdy outfits after the age of 50 and has come up with a list of style tips for older women. They include “leather-look trousers,” outfits with “flash panels or animal print accessories” and black jumpsuits, which she says are “slimming and bang on trend.” Hmmm. If you spot anyone in a get-up like that you’ll know who to blame.

PPS. It was my birthday last week and my children made cakes to celebrate, complete with the most chic candles I’ve ever seen. My daughter bought them in Paris and they spelled out Bon Anniversaire. Just the thing for a Francophile mum.


2 comments so far

  • It’s a good thing those reporters weren’t hanging around waiting for MY children to be born – both were two weeks late. That’s a long while to be balancing on a stepladder!

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