UK

British media in royal frenzy

Tabloids and broadsheets give blanket coverage to latest addition to British monarchy

A man holds his very own copy of a special edition of The Sun newspaper outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London as it was announced last night that the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a boy. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Wire
A man holds his very own copy of a special edition of The Sun newspaper outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London as it was announced last night that the Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to a boy. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Tue Jul 23 2013 - 09:09

News of the birth of a potential future king of England has predictably dominated Britain's front pages with The Sun going the whole hog and marking the

event with a change of masthead from The Sun to The Son.

The front page of the tabloid was filled almost entirely with the statement on Buckingham Palace headed notepaper confirming the child’s birth and placed last night on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

Crowds of people try to look at a notice formally announcing the birth of a son to Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Photograph: John Stillwell/Pool/Reuters
Crowds of people try to look at a notice formally announcing the birth of a son to Britain’s Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Photograph: John Stillwell/Pool/Reuters

At the bottom of the page, the news was summed up in just three sentences: “At 4.24pm yesterday, an 8lbs 6oz baby boy was born at St Mary’s Hospital, London. To William and Kate, a son. To the nation, our future king. Let the celebrations begin!”

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A number of other newspapers opted simply for the headline “It’s a Boy” - chosen by The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Star and the Daily Express.

The Times declares: “A Prince is Born” while The Guardian marks the occasion with the headline “A Birth, a boy, a prince a king.”

The Mirror front page is filled with a Mario Testino photograph taken to mark the engagement of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge along with an inset picture of the easel at Buckingham Palace with the headline "Our Little Prince".

The Daily Mail features a picture of a thrilled-looking Prince of Wales in Yorkshire after hearing the news of the birth with the headline “Oh boy! One’s a grandpa.”

The Financial Times features the royal birth on the front page - with a picture of the now famous easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace captioned Royal arrival Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to boy.

The Independent newspaper, not known for giving prominence to royal events, features the easel on its front page with the caption “Special Delivery, Duchess gives birth to a prince - and a global media feeding frenzy begins.”

Online coverage

The Guardian offered its readers a republican version of their website where the royal coverage could be ‘switched off’ at the press of a button.

The Sun carried the headline “Heir It Comes!” on its website. “At last! Wait is finally over,” said the Daily Mail’s online publication, while other news sites offered constant live updates, endless commentary and pictures documenting the Duchess’s closely-watched pregnancy.

Newspaper websites from France to Australia brought the royal birth to the top of their home pages. As the rest of the world woke up, news broadcasters and websites in the United States also began presenting coverage.

When not reporting on the birth, American news channel CNN showed live footage from a webcam outside St Mary’s Hospital in London at the bottom of the screen, while ABC News displayed a live feed. The Washington Post offered readers an online “ royal baby name generator” and the New York Times also went big on the birth.