The Great Kate Wait

Despite my love of Kate Middleton, I wasn't planning on going to the hospital for the new royal baby's birth.

"Wasn't planning on" are the key words here.

Believe it or not, two of my study abroad friends are just as obsessed with all things royal as I am. We had spent a little time checking out the scene outside the Lindo Wing in the weeks leading up to Princess Charlotte's birth--staying for a couple hours here and there.

We met super-fan Terry (who had been camped outside the hospital every night for about three weeks) and even celebrated his 80th birthday with him. Will and Kate sent him a lovely cake and some pastries for breakfast. They were wrapped in pink ribbon--perhaps the first hint at a princess..?

On May 2, I rolled over and checked my phone (while half-asleep) at about 7:00 AM. There was a notification from Kensington Palace's Twitter, "HRH The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted at 06.00hrs. to St Mary's hospital, Paddington, London." 

I don't think I've ever felt that awake at 7AM before. I told myself to calm down, it would probably be another twelve hours before anything exciting happened. So I rolled over and went back to sleep.

At 10, I woke up to a frantic call from one of my friends, "She already had the baby! Didn't you check your notifications?? It's a girl and she was born at 8:30. Why are you still in bed!? We need to go!"

Hour 1:

Un-showered and still coffee-less I arrived at the hospital and found my friends (who were also un-showered and coffee-less). There was a decent crowd--reporters had been waiting there for more than two weeks, but not many members of the public had arrived yet. We were somehow let onto the side of the barricade meant only for the media (I'll never understand how we pull this stuff off), so even as the crowd grew, we were free to walk around and breathe. 

Hour 2:

Pizza Express (a local chain) delivered some "baby" pizzas. They weren't giving them out to everyone, but for some reason the delivery boy came over and asked if we wanted some...for free. 

Luckily that was lunch taken care of, since none of us had thought to bring food (and at that point the crowd had grown so large there was no way out). 

Hour 3: 

I was interviewed by a German news station (still trying to find it online). They asked me to scroll through Twitter (where all the updates on Kate and the baby were being posted) and then asked a few questions about why I was in London and why I was happy about a new princess. 

Hour 4: 

Interviewed by a different German channel (still trying to find that one too). 

Kate's hairdresser also arrived, fueling speculation that they would head home later the same day.

Hour 5: 

Back on the crowded, public side of the barricade was a photographer's ladder that had been unoccupied all day. Every other photographer was perched uncomfortably on top of theirs. We took the opportunity to get a better view, knowing we would probably be kicked off. 

Three friends and I somehow found a way to share it--talk about a bonding experience. 

And guess what? The photographer never came back.

Hour 6: 

Prince William left the hospital to pick up Prince George. They returned in less time than anyone was expecting. When they got out of the car, we witnessed the wave seen round the world.

(Obviously not my picture)

Hour 7:

It was announced the whole family would be leaving the hospital later in the evening, which caused a flurry of activity in the crowd--reporters addressing audiences at home live, photographers adjusting their cameras and more members of the public arriving. 

After all the time that had passed since our arrival, we were relieved to say the least. 

Hour 8:

Kate, Will and Charlotte emerged onto the steps of the Lindo Wing--half an hour earlier than expected. At that point, the Princess was less than ten hours old.