Royal Baby Watch Officially Begins!

Royal Baby Watch officially commenced this morning, with parking restrictions in place until 30 April outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Although there were rumours Kate might opt for a home birth this time - it was confirmed today William and Kate chose the London hospital where George and Charlotte were born.

Barriers have been erected on the street outside for photographers and journalists. The media will be permitted to make short visits to the press pen for filming purposes but will not be allowed to stay until the Palace confirms Kate has been admitted. Reporter Emily Nash notes "The Palace and the Hospital have worked hard to make sure the birth will cause minimal disruption to patients and staff - there are very good media arrangements in place. Don't expect to see regular reporting/updates from the Lindo Wing until the time comes."

The scene outside the Lindo Wing on the day Princess Charlotte was born.

Reporter Emily Andrews understands the Lindo Wing was always the plan. The Cambridges are enjoying a couple of weeks at their country home Anmer Hall and are not expected to return to London until the weekend - ahead of George's return to school next Monday.

Emily Andrews Twitter Feed

Once again, William and Kate have elected not to find out if they are having a boy or a girl before the arrival. More from the Mail Online:

'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge won't know whether they are having a boy or a girl until the baby is delivered, it was revealed today. During routine scans William and Kate did not ask if they would be welcoming a son or daughter - opting to be surprised as with the Duchess's previous pregnancies.

Once news of the birth has been announced on the official Kensington Palace Twitter and Instagram accounts, a bulletin notice declaring the birth will go on display on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

Kate is likely to take an extended period off to recover and nurse the latest addition to her family but is expected to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19.

As a mother of three children under the age of four, the duchess's role as a parent is likely to be her focus for the next few years, providing a loving and stable home for her family.

The new royal baby will be born fifth in line to the throne. Once the prince or princess arrives, Prince Harry will shift down the line of succession to sixth place.'

The Telegraph adds: "The Duchess will be looked after by a team of leading medical professionals during her stay, which will be lead by Alan Farthing, the Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist, and Guy Thorpe-Beeston, surgeon-gynaecologist to the royal household. Both of them helped to deliver Prince George and Princess Charlotte. In the Lindo Wing, The Duchess will again be given a bespoke experience akin to a five-star hotel with en suite rooms available "providing a modern, homely environment in which to start your new or expanded family life", the unit's website states."

The exact due date is not known. Emily Andrews understands the baby is due around 23rd April, whilst The Telegraph reports mid-late April.

As with George and Charlotte, when the Duchess goes into labour we can expect a tweet and official press release from Kensington Palace, once the Queen and both families have been informed. Below, the tweet posted when Kate was admitted to St Mary's on the day Charlotte was born.

Aside from photos of William and Kate with their bundle of joy, many of us are hoping for a shot of William bringing George and Charlotte to meet their new sibling.

When the prince or princess arrives, big sister Charlotte will make history. More from the Evening Standard:

'The two-year-old is the first-ever member of the royal family that will not lose her spot in line to the throne if a male heir is born. This is due to the Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which was passed when the Duchess was pregnant with Prince George and stated that succession to the throne would be based wholly on birth order – not gender.'

The Duchess selected bespoke Jenny Packham dresses when she left the hospital with George and Charlotte (she had both pink and blue polka dot options ready when George was born). I expect it very likely she'll choose the British designer again.

Another interesting read from The Telegraph: The Duchess of Cambridge and the art of the 'going home' look:

'The art of the 'coming home' look is a relatively new one for the royals. Wedding dresses, diplomatic tour outfits and ballgowns have all been finely honed over the past two centuries, but until the birth of Prince William in 1982, babies were delivered in the privacy of royal palaces with no need to pose for pictures until they were at least a few weeks old. The first images of then-Princess Elizabeth gazing lovingly at little Prince Charles were published a month after his birth, offering plenty of time for recovery and beautifying.

There was no such luxury for Princess Diana when she left hospital, bump still visible, the day after giving birth to William and, two years later, Harry. Similarly, Kate faced the world's cameras little more than 24 hours after George's delivery and a mere ten hours after Charlotte's, so we can likely expect a similar modus operandi with baby number three.

For both her births, she has commissioned bespoke dresses by Jenny Packham, one of her favourite designers. It seems likely that we can expect another new outfit for the birth of baby number three. When Kate emerged with Prince George, wearing a pale blue polka dot dress, immediate comparisons were drawn with the outfit worn by Diana to present William to the world. It was a sensitive sartorial tribute at a moment when her absence was keenly felt. Although the duchess's style squad- stylist Natasha Archer and hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker- were pictured arriving at the hospital, the results of their work were soft and subtle; Kate's hair was styled in natural, loose waves, her make-up was minimal and she wore comfortable wedges rather than heels.

With Princess Charlotte's birth is was a different story. Although the chosen Jenny Packham dress was as pretty and loose as the first with its buttercup print, many commented on the choice of white as particularly brave. Kate paired the look with her beloved beige heels this time while her hair and make-up was more glamorous- bouncing curls and lashings of eyeliner. 'Fresh as breeze' and 'stunning appearence' were The Telegraph's Gordon Rayner's summation of the look.

If the post-George look was 'relatable(ish) and relaxed new mum', then the message post-Charlotte was that of a consummate professional royal.'

Once Kate is admitted to hospital, I'll start a 'Live Blog' which will run throughout the day with timely updates and items of interest. It's a hugely exciting time for William and Kate and of course George and Charlotte :)