The expectant parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The baby is due to be born at the Lindo Wing, a private section of St Mary's Hospital in London where Prince George made his debut and where Prince William and Prince Harry were also born. Princess Anne had her two children, Peter and Zara, there as well. Its dark wooden door and cool white stone surround is already one of the most famous hospital views in the world and you can expect to see plenty of images of it in the coming days as the world waits for baby Cambridge number two. Parking restrictions have been in place there since April 15th and the world's media aren't allowed to take up their places until the duchess is already admitted and in her private suite.
The hospital which is about to welcome the new royal baby to the world has a strong pedigree in regal births
The birth will be announced in a very traditional and very modern manner. Once the Queen, the Prince of Wales and other family members have heard the happy news a briefcase with the information locked away in it will be taken from the hospital to Buckingham Palace where a typewritten statement will be placed on an easel in the main courtyard for everyone to see. But the royal birth will also be announced on Twitter via the official channel of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge @kensingtonroyal. Expect a retweet record.
Kensington Palace will tweet the announcement of the royal baby's birth
Born to be spare, the new prince or princess of Cambridge will be fourth in line to the throne from the moment of their birth. Prince Harry will drop to number five in the line of succession (something he seems very happy about given his responses to reporters a few months ago) while Princess Anne, the last daughter of a British monarch to lose out to brothers in the line of succession, will now be twelfth - in the early years of her mother's reign she was number two.
Harry of Wales will soon drop one place in the line of succession
Just about everyone is convinced that Kate's baby is a girl. Quite possibly the result of wishful thinking, the odds on girls' names far outstrip those on monikers for princes with the bookies. But regardless of gender, this little royal of Cambridge won't ever lose out to a future sibling when it comes to the line of succession. Changes to the rules mean there will be no leapfrogging so a princess born to Kate and William can't ever be overtaken by a younger brother when it comes to the queue for the throne.
Princess Anne was overtaken in the line of succession by younger brother Prince Edward but even if Kate and William's baby is a girl she won't ever lose out to a younger boy following a rule change
We'll get to meet them fairly quickly. If all goes well then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expected to bring their new baby home around twenty four hours after the birth. Which means that Kate, William and their new mini us will appear on the steps of the Lindo Wing before a crowd of thousands the day after the Duchess gives birth. And just as last time they surprised us all with a lovely little chat before heading home, we can expect a few words from the exhausted parents as they make their way back to Kensington Palace. Normally, big brothers and sisters don't accompany mum and dad on this big occasion so we probably won't see George at this particular press call.
Chances are we won't see George with his parents and new sibling as they all leave hospital
But there will be an official photograph not long afterwards which will no doubt star George as well as the new baby. And if 2013 is anything to go by then Lupo, the family pet, will also join the Cambridges as they make their debut as a family of four. George's first official photographs caused some controversy as they were taken by granddad Michael Middleton and were far more informal than previous portraits of new babies. Might it be grandpa Charles' turn to take the official snaps of the new baby?
Hello world - the first official portrait of Prince George of Cambridge with his parents
Kate and William kept us all guessing about George's name for another few hours after quitting hospital with him in 2013 and then surprised us all by trimming back the traditional four to three names so we can expect the new baby to have the name number. And if it is a girl and she is called Alice as everyone seems to be expecting then bookies stand to lose tens of thousands of pounds in payouts.
Will a new princess be named after her great, great grandmother Princess Alice of Battenbeurg?
Prince George will change from baby of the family to big brother when little Cambridge arrives and there will be a gap of twenty one months between the two siblings. It's about average for a royal gap - there are 27 months between William and Harry and 21 months between Charles and Anne.
William and Harry are 27 months apart in age
Kate will have some very familiar faces helping her bring her second child into the world.Kate's medical team is made up of many of the same experts who delivered Prince George on July 22nd 2013. Consultants Guy Thorpe-Beeston and Alan Farthing will be on hand as Kate gives birth. In 2013 the team was led by Sir Marcus Setchell who has since retired.
Kate will have some familiar faces nearby as she becomes a mother for the second time
And just when royal baby mania has subsided wait for it all to start again around three months later when the latest royal christening takes place. There are far more unknowns about this one although if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge follow the pattern they started with George it will be held at St James' Palace in London and the godparents will be secret until the last minute. However, with baby Cambridge number two arriving in late spring, a potential christening date is in the summer meaning another royal residence might be called upon depending where the family are. And as Kate and William are setting up home in Norfolk, a Sandringham baptism might just be on the cards.
The christening of George Alexander Louis of Cambridge at St James' Palace in London
And pretty soon we will know much more about Baby Cambridge Number Two as they make their way into the world.
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