Due to the eight hour time difference the announcement came at 11.30pm Pacific time on Sunday, too late to appear in today's Los Angeles Time newspaper. This morning the news did not feature prominently on the newspaper's website. However, to get readers in the mood People magazine's website featured a story about the baby's first photo-shoot, as imagined by a photographer using lookalikes. 15.40 The Queen has left Windsor Castle and returned to London. 15.30 As we await the birth, producers of Royal memorabilia have their production lines at the ready. Margaret Tyler, the owner of the largest collection of royal memorabilia in Britain, gives some sage advice on which items collectors should focus on. 15.20 As the "Great Kate Wait" continues, here are seven things you might not have known about the future monarch: 1) Genealogists say the baby will be distantly related to Dracula, the 15th century prince who inspired Bram Stoker's famous vampire. Experts have also traced the family tree back to an Islamic sultan who is believed to be descended from the Prophet Mohammed. 2) Finland has gifted William and Kate with a special 'baby box' received by all expectant mothers in the Nordic country, which includes infant clothing. 3) The baby does not necessarily need to have a surname -- but if William and Kate want it to have one, they can choose between Mountbatten-Windsor, Wales and Cambridge. 4) World landmarks including Niagara Falls, Toronto's CN Tower and the fountains at London's Trafalgar Square will turn pink or blue to celebrate the birth, depending on whether it is a girl or boy. Photo: Rex features 5) The journalists camped outside Kate's hospital are almost crying with boredom after a three-week wait, but it was a different story when William was born in 1982. His mother Princess Diana fooled the press by telling them her son was due on July 1 -- he arrived 10 days earlier, catching the newspapers completely off guard. 6) The baby already has its own Wikipedia page -- "Child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge." 7) Former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard has knitted a kangaroo for the baby. 15.00 Michael Deacon, is into his umpteenth hour of watching the rolling news coverage. He tells us: On BBC News we've just heard the first use of the phrase "the people's pregnancy." Quite an image. Otherwise, the TV coverage from outside the Lindo wing is still going as follows. Simon McCoy: "With me is our royal correspondent, Peter Hunt. Peter, what news? Peter Hunt: "No news." 14.50 Gordon Rayner reports on what life as an expectant mother, carrying a future monarch, would have been like for Kate if she'd lived 500 years ago: Superstitions and royal edicts would have demanded she lie in a darkened room for weeks on end, with a roaring fire in the grate regardless of the sweltering July temperatures. And in the past up to 70 people would be present when future monarchs were born, so that they could verify there had been no skulduggery such as an infant impostor being substituted in the royal bedchamber. Archbishops, Cabinet ministers and courtiers were among the dignitaries who would be expected to witness royal births in times past. Royal supporter Terry Hutt poses for a picture outside The Lindo Wing of Saint Mary's Hospital. Photo: AFP/ Getty 14.40 Dame Helen Mirren has said it would be "very interesting" if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge named their first child Diana. The actress, who won an Oscar for her lead role in 2006 film The Queen, claimed Kate would feel uneasy about the attention given to her pregnancy. "That's weird isn't it, everyone knowing you're in labour," she said. That must be so uncomfortable. Dame Helen said it would be "great" if the baby was a girl because "we need more Queens in our life." When asked what she thought about the name Diana for a girl - after William's mother - she replied: "I wonder if they'll go there. That would be interesting, wouldn't it? That would be very interesting. She went on: "Her second name will be Elizabeth without a doubt." Dame Helen said Queen Caroline "would work" - after Kate's mother Carole - while she also liked Charlotte and Victoria. "It would be nice to have one of those ancient Anglo-Saxon names," she added. 14.25 Back in the 1800s, the announcement of a royal birth was a more simple affair: 14.10 The impending birth has dominated the world's media from the moment the Duchess of Cambridge's labour was announced at 7:30am. Newspaper websites from France to Australia brought the royal birth to the top of their home pages, while The Washington Post offered readers an online "royal baby name generator." In America, Fox News commentator Howard Kurtz said the royal baby news eclipsed all other stories across the country. 'Pregnant Kate in hospital', reads the front page of German newspaper website Bild 14.00 The Prime Minister has been speaking again about the impending royal birth. Asked whether he has a present for the new baby, his official spokesman declined to respond. "He is looking forward to the birth, as we all are," he said. He said that all Commonwealth countries have agreed on new laws on royal succession to allow the child of the Duke or Duchess of Cambridge to succeed to the crown if it is a girl. "My understanding is that we have full agreement," PMOS said. Everybody is signed off. 13.45 With the arrival of a royal baby comes the age-old custom of placing a proclamation of royal birth behind the iron railings of Buckingham Palace. Even in the fast Twitter-paced age, Palace aides have said the tradition will be adhered to for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first born. The notice will begin its journey at the Lindo wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, where Kate's baby is being delivered. The brief bulletin, on headed Palace notepaper, confirms the sex of the baby but usually gives little else away other than that the baby has been "safely delivered" and perhaps the weight. Placed in a foolscap-sized dark wooden frame, it will be set on an ornate easel behind the railings, just to the side of the front gates of the Queen's London home for members of the public to read. Down at Buckingham Palace, Harry Wallop reports excitement amongst the crowd as they spot what could be the easel... Sadly, he says, it's just a publicity stunt and the easel is moved swiftly on. 13.35 Another of the Telegraph's features writers, Tom Rowley, is in Bucklebury, home to the Middleton family. He reports: Representatives of the world's media have also set up a travelling camp on Bucklebury Common, close to the home of Carole and Michael Middleton. The road is helpfully closed for two days from today... for roadworks. Good timing. 13.25 There's more news from Yorkshire, where Prince Charles is visiting York Minster. Members of the public shouted "Congratulations" to the Prince of Wales who had been visiting the glaziers' workshops. He walked over to one woman, smiling, and said: "Do you know something I don't?" Another well-wisher, John Dowson, from York, shouted: "It's triplets!," prompting a chuckling Charles to go over to him for a word. Mr Dowson said: "I felt like saying 'Congratulations, sir, it's triplets!' - just for a bit of fun. He just laughed. He was really jolly. Everybody's so excited in the country for him. Let's see what happens. 13.10 Felicity Morse has tweeted this picture comparing the scene outside the Lindo wing 31 years ago, when William was born, with today: Phenomenon of 24hr news coverage wasn't in existence when William was born.. 12.55 A further update from Harry Wallop at Buckingham Palace: Changing of the Guard has now finished, and the Buckingham Palace crowds have thinned from over a couple of thousand to a few hundred. A small flurry of excitement has gone up as a Royal Mail van is let through the gates. Luckily, for those awaiting news of any royal birth, our national postal operator is not in charge of couriering the news from the hospital. Crowds of tourists gather on the steps of the Queen Victoria Memorial Statue outside Buckingham Palace. 12.45 Gordon Rayner, who is currently in the Lindo wing press huddle, reports that the Duchess of Cambridge's royal protection officers are thought to have carried out a practice run of the journey to the hospital last night. Her royal protection officers are reported to have carried out a dummy run at around 10pm last night, checking which entrances were being watched by photographers, which is likely to fuel speculation that the Duchess's admission time was planned in advance. 25 More than 30 years ago - 31 to be exact - the world's media were stationed outside the very same St Mary's hospital waiting for news of William's birth. Here's the Telegraph's front page from the following day, June 22, 1982: 12.10 Here's David Cameron offering a few words of support to the royal couple: 12.00 Gordon Rayner informs us we will all be kept on tenterhooks as we wait for the announcement of the baby's name: 11.55 Telegraph business reporter Emma Rowley has now written an in-depth piece on the boost the baby's arrival might give the British economy. The Centre for Retail Research has estimated that the sale of souvenirs and toys, as well as celebratory drink and food, could add more than £240m to the British economy as consumer spending gets a boost Mothercare shares were on Monday morning trading up 3pc at 481p, as the chain predicted a slight increase in footfall through its stores due to the "buzz and excitement" from the birth. Photo: Getty images 11.45 Coincidentally, Tv presenter Ben Fogle's pregnant sister Tamara is also in the Lindo wing. Like Kate, she is still waiting for the arrival of her baby. Fogle said: "It is a very exciting time, which I suppose is easy for the husband to say. We don't have to go through the pain. The scene outside the Lindo wing. 11.35 The Prince of Wales has been quizzed by reporters about the birth as he visited the National Railway Museum in York. Sadly, he seems as much in the dark as we are. 11.25 The economic impact of the royal baby is likely to be overwhelmingly positive, experts have said, although it won't provide as big a boost as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012 and the Royal Wedding in 2011. Howard Archer, of IHS Global Insight, an economic forecaster, said the most obvious support to the economy coming from the royal birth would be through people buying souvenirs and commemorative items. "While there is also likely to be a small lift to alcohol sales as some people will want to toast the royal baby," he added. 11.15 Telegraph Features writer Harry Wallop is outside Buckingham Palace, gauging excitement for the royal birth: Crowds outside palace far thicker than a normal sunny Monday during school holidays. One policeman says he has been called in from his usual beat in Enfield. By my rough calculation, I'd say there was close to 1000 people outside the gates and around the Victoria memorial. But the great majority are here for changing of the guard, not any royal baby announcement. Mateo Martino, 23, from Uruguay is fairly typical when asked about the impending announcement. If I see it, it will be interesting. But it's not a big deal for us. 11.05 David Cameron has also been offering words of support to the Duke and Duchess. He told the BBC: Best wishes to them, a very exciting occasion and the whole country is excited with them. It's up to every family to work out how they want to do these things. A man puts out a rope barrier outside Buckingham Palace in central London, as well-wishers began to gather ahead of the birth of the royal baby. 10.55 Telegraph sketchwriter Michael Deacon is following the rolling TV coverage of the scene outside the Lindo wing of St Mary's: Jovial BBC News reporter Simon McCoy, standing outside the Lindo wing, is doing a sterling job. Plenty more to come from here, none of it news of course, but that won't stop us... Let's speculate, because that's all we can do... The world's media is gathered here to report the news that there is no news... Prediction: by the end of today, the man will be a national treasure. 10.45 The Duchess of Cambridge should expect to be in labour for around half a day, experts have said. Consultant obstetrician Patrick O'Brien said that the average length of labour for a first-time mother is about 12 hours. So the royal baby could be born in the late afternoon or early evening. "About 12 hours is the average, sometimes quicker, sometimes slower, but that's what you have to budget for," he said. The average weight of a baby born around its due date is 3.7 kilos (8.2lbs), he added. What's more important than weight is if a baby has been growing normally. We really don't mind whether babies are big or small or average, but we want to see that babies are growing along their own lines," he said. 10.35 The Archbishop of Canterbury has tweeted his support for the Duke and Duchess: When the Duchess of Cambridge's baby is born, it will be the first time in history that three generations of direct heirs will be in waiting while the sitting sovereign is fit and well. 10.30 Want to have your say on whether the royal baby will be a girl or a boy? Vote here in our poll: 10.20 Gordon Rayner's received news that the Duchess may have gone into labour earlier than previously thought: 10.10 The Telegraph's Spain correspondent Fiona Govan reports on the growing excitement on the Continent: In Spain, where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are refered to as Guillermo and Catalina, there is speculation over the possible name of the new baby. These too have been hispanicised - Could it be Jorge, Felipe or Alberto if a boy? Or possibly Alejandra, Carlota or Isabel, if a girl? Spanish newspaper El Pais is also streaming live footage of the doors of St Mary's hospital, she says. 09.55 A bit of royal baby trivia: The custom ended in 1948, with the birth of Prince Charles, but that didn't stop the Home Affairs Select Committee asking Theresa May whether she would attend this birth. She replied: In fact, it is no longer the case that the HS is required to attend a royal birth. Asked why the home secretary was once required to attend royal births, Mrs May said: It goes back many centuries... the home secretary had to be there to evidence that it was genuinely a royal birth and that a baby hadn't been smuggled in. 09.45 Well-wishers from around the globe have begun to gather outside Buckingham Palace. Tourists, armed with cameras, are peering hopefully through the Palace gates on the off-chance of spotting the easel, due to be placed on the forecourt detailing confirmation of the birth. But there are plenty of royal fans from home soil too, including Terry Hutt, 78, from Cambridge, who's been camped outside the hospital for 12 days. The former soldier, who served with the Royal Ordnance Corps, is sleeping on a bench across the road from the Lindo Wing. "I have the best royal bed in town," he said. I have lost my voice with all the excitement. At night we're watching the hospital in two-hour stints, like the Army. The health of the baby, and Kate, is the only important element. Mr Hutt is wearing a Union flag suit and tie which a Dutch firm donated to him. "My trousers are 10 inches too long," he said, adding that his wife of 51 years, Joy, thinks he is a bit mad. 09.35 Telegraph chief reporter Gordon Rayner tweets: Members of the broadcast media give live reports across from St. Mary's Hospital. 09.20 More updates for the astrologers amongst us: If the royal baby arrives today, its birthday will fall under the zodiac sign of Cancer, but if born very late this evening or tomorrow, it will be a Leo. But one astrologer, Patrick Arundell, has predicted the baby will have a "very Cancerian personality" even if it is born under the sign of Leo. He said the future king or queen would be more conventional if a Cancerian, but more of a groundbreaker if born tomorrow as a Leo. "Either way, he or she is going to be larger than life, charismatic and glamorous but they will have a very Cancerian personality, whether under the sign of Leo or not, and be sensitive and caring," Mr Arundell said. He added: "If the baby's born today it will have a slightly more conventional and conservative personality, but if it's born tomorrow it will be more groundbreaking and more in tune with modernity." There is a heavy police presence outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's hopsital. 09.15 Once the Duchess has had the baby, the next question on everyone's lips will be, when will get to see the new prince or princess? 09.00 As a quick aside, my rival royal baby live blogger over at the Guardian has made a bold declaration. He is a republican. Peter Walker tweets: I'm about to hand over this blog to my colleague, Paul Owen, while I'm being sent to join the media hordes at the hospital. Can I made a quick confession before the keyboard is wrestled from my hands? I'm a republican. But I nontheless, of course, wish all concerned the very best. I should probably make my own declaration. I am not a republican. 08.50 Dickie Arbiter, a former press secretary to the Queen, remembers the scene at St Mary's more than three decades ago when William was born: "I was here 31 years ago when William was born so we have come full circle," he said. You did not have 24-hour news in those days, though there was a very large media presence and the hospital across from the Lindo Wing was just a wall. The family will be waiting like any other family for news of the baby. The Queen will be the first to be informed because William will telephone her as soon as something happens. He added: "William be at Kate's side comforting her. He will be as concerned as she is. She is going through the agony and he is sharing it. It is a new experience for every father and parent; he can be told about what details are like but she's experiencing it. The royals won't come down. Diana was in for 22 hours; she had the baby one day and left the next. Kate might do the same thing. The Middletons might come down but the royals won't because it demands another level of security and the last thing they'll want is to disrupt the hospital. It doesn't really warrant a visit. Members of the world's media gather outside The Lindo Wing as The Duchess Of Cambridge goes into labour at St Mary's Hospital. 08.45 The Duchess may have gone into labour, but there's still time to play the guessing game over the baby's name. Bookmaker William Hall has reported George as the favourite for a boy and, after a flurry of bets, Alexandra - one of the Queen's middle names - as the favourite for a girl, while Charlotte is also thought to be a contender. But with the name of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first born likely to set a trend for the next generation of babies, the question is, what do you call a child who's name will be remembered for hundreds of years? 08.30 Meanwhile, the Press Association have been out interviewing some very excited royalists among the public. Carly Gargett, 31, an event manager from Sydney, Australia, who lives in London, said: "I have been doing live Facebook updates to all my friends back in Australia. They were texting me this morning saying 'What's going on?' because I'd missed it happening so early. So I came down to the site on my way to work. I am a real royalist. I was at the Coronation Festival last week and was hoping she would go into labour then. Miss Gargett said she thinks the Duchess would love to have a girl. "Every girl would like a girl princess," she said. I'm picking Charlotte as the name - I have a feeling in my waters. I don't think I'll be doing a lot of work today, I have the royal baby cam live feed to my phone, I am so excited. And Kate is handling it all in such style as always - it can't be easy with the eyes of the world on her. 08.20 For those readers into astrology, our chief reporter Gordon Rayner is the man to follow: 08.15 Here is a look at the royal baby by numbers: 2 - Number of years the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were married before the birth of their baby. 3 - William and Kate's baby will be born third in line to the throne and the Queen's third great-grandchild. 4 - The baby will bump Prince Harry down to fourth in line to the throne. 5 - William and Kate's first-born will be the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild (five greats) of Queen Victoria. 16 - The baby will one day be head of state of 16 countries. 31 - William and Kate will both be 31 when the baby is born. 41 - Royal births are celebrated with a 41-gun salute. 43 - If the baby follows the Prince of Wales and William on to the throne, he or she will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066. £6,265 - Cost of a one-night stay and delivery package at the private Lindo wing including a suite of two rooms, but excluding consultants' fees. £19 million - The yearly income from the Duchy of Cornwall landed estate - which, when one day the baby becomes the heir apparent, will be used as its private funding. Two billion - The baby may one day be head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations and two billion citizens. Police stand guard at the doors of The Lindo Wing as The Duchess Of Cambridge goes into labour at St Mary's Hospital. 08.10 Telegraph features writer Bryony Gordon, who has recently had a baby herself, hopes Kate's labour is slightly speedier than her own: 08.05 Of course, confirmation that the Duchess is in hospital also means the nation is aware that Kate is in labour. This is something that would have been unthinkable when the last granddaughter-in-law of a reigning queen to give birth to a future monarch did so in the 1890s. George V's wife Mary of Teck, who was then the Duchess of York, had the future Edward VIII in 1894 and the future George VI in 1895, but news of her 'confinement' was limited. Dr Rowbotham, a social historian at Nottingham Trent University, said: "Pregnancy was not something that was publicly talked about then. It wasn't discussed. It was indelicate. 07.55 The world's press have been camped outside St Mary's in Paddington for days in anticipation of the birth, but excitement is likely to reach fever pitch now Kate's labour has befun. Alistair Bruce OBE explains how the news of the royal birth will break - and when the public might get a first glimpse of the future king or queen. 07.50 The Kensington Palace statement announcing the Duchess had gone into labour was made at 7.30am but she was admitted to St Mary's around two hours ago, just before 6am.