What Is Kate Middleton’s Correct Title?

When Kensington Palace released HRH Prince George of Cambridge’s birth certificate on Friday, all eyes were on the mother’s occupation: “Princess of the United Kingdom.”

What’s this?

Since the royal wedding on April 29th, 2011, it was made clear that Catherine Middleton would be styled Her Royal Highness Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. She was not to be referred to as “Princess Catherine,” since she was not of royal blood. Despite this, some outlets decided to go ahead and refer to the Berkshire native as “Princess Kate.”

Just like Diana and the Countess of Wessex, royal protocol dictates that Catherine is not entitled to a style preceding her first name.

“On marriage, Prince William retained the title Prince William of Wales and as the wife of a Royal Prince, The Duchess is entitled to use the name of her husband, Princess William of Wales,” a royal source told me.

“It is important to note she is not Princess Catherine or Princess Kate though,” the source made sure to point out.

This entitlement reflects her position within the royal family. As royal blogger Ella Kay pointed out, there is a difference between ranking and title.

“The couple chose to use these names/ titles in the same way as other members of the Royal Family have used the titles conferred upon them by the Queen on marriage,” the source added.

The takeaway: Catherine is, in fact, a princess of the United Kingdom because, says the source, she is “Princess William of Wales.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Welcome a Son

SAMIR HUSSEIN/WIREIMAGE

We have a new royal.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William have welcomed their first child, a son, PEOPLE confirms.

The news the world’s been waiting for since Kate went into London’s St. Mary’s Hospital early Monday morning was revealed Monday afternoon, some four hours after the Duchess, 31, gave birth.

The message was delivered in a press release, stating that a son was born at 4:24 p.m., weighing 8 lbs., 6 oz. After about 14 hours of labor, Kate had a natural delivery.

With a broad smile the couple’s press secretary Ed Perkins took the announcement to a waiting blue Jaguar to be whisked to the palace.

Kate and William wanted to spend a bit of time with their baby and make their phone calls. But William, 31, personally told the Queen, his father, Prince Charles and wife Camilla and brother Prince Harry.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh “are delighted” by the news.

Kate’s parents were also called.

“It’s been a wonderful day and everyone’s delighted,” says a palace source.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is also among those informed, along with other high-ranking officials.

The waiting crowds celebrated near St. Mary’s. The theatrical presentation of the birth news will continue when the notice is placed on an easel on the Buckingham Palace forecourt. A gun salute in the royal parks in London is expected to follow.

The new arrival is third in line to the throne, following the baby’s father, William, and (first-in-line) grandfather, Prince Charles, 64. The public will get its first glimpse of the child when the couple leave the hospital in the coming days.

Kate’s pregnancy was revealed on Dec. 3, 2012, when she was admitted to the hospital in London suffering from severe morning sickness.

William spoke of the couple’s desire to have children when they announced their engagement in 2010. He told ITN they would get to planning after their wedding: “Obviously we want a family, so we’ll have to start thinking about that.” And he has since said that he wants two kids.

– Simon Perry

Bringing Up Baby Cambridge: All About Kate’s Family Home, Bucklebury Manor

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the proud new parents of the Prince of Cambridge, and once William’s two weeks of paternity leave is up, Kate will call on the help of her parents, who own a Georgian manor just outside London.

Kate is foregoing royal tradition as she moves into her parents’ most recently-purchased Bucklebury home with the UK’s future monarch for at least six weeks. Traditionally, a royal child spends a majority of its upbringing with a nanny and baby nurses from the getgo, but the Duchess prefers to be close to her mother, who raised three children without hired help.

The gorgeous estate, known as Bucklebury Manor, contrasts greatly to the palaces, particularly Buckingham. Going from 775 rooms to 7 might be a tight squeeze, but the family seems excited and embracing the low-key change, according to Kate’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith. Carole Middleton’s younger brother recently told the Telegraph that HRH doesn’t want to make any additions to their temporary cottage at Kensington Palace while renovations are underway at apt 1A. “Kate felt it wasn’t worth the money to go all-out [on a nursery],” he explained.

The new home will give the Duchess respite from all the commotion that has swept the world since the highly-anticipated birth, with Michael and Carole there to help her with late-night diaper duty and enjoy private family walks on their stunningly lush 18 acres of land.

Located in Berkshire, the 7-bedroom, 5-reception room mansion will give the growing family a serene backdrop (farm animals included) and a safe, calming environment away from the hustle-and-bustle of London. With a steel-framed green room, tennis court and swimming pool, the Manor offers plenty of recreational activities for any grandchild (and future grandchildren) and a sweet escape for the royal couple.

Click through the CB! gallery above for a tour inside the Middletons Bucklebury Manor.

Proud Parents Prince William and Kate Middleton Thank Hospital for Caring for ‘The Three of Us’

Only hours after welcoming a son into the world, Prince William and Kate Middleton released a statement Tuesday thanking everyone at St. Mary’s Hospital in London for their hard work and patience.

“We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received,” the couple said. “We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone – staff, patients and visitors – for their understanding during this time.

William and Kate, both 31, welcomed a son Monday afternoon at 14:24 GBT, weighing 8 lbs. 6 oz.

“We could not be happier,” William said in a statement Monday.

Will, Kate And Queen Elizabeth Do A Bit Of Hosting At Balmoral

Queen Elizabeth hosted New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and his family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland this past weekend, with the help of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

During their two-day stay, John and his wife, Bronagh were driven around the estate by Her Majesty, according to the New Zealand Herald. Their son, Max went on a grouse shoot with Prince William, while daughter Stephanie joined Catherine on a hike through the woodlands with others.

The Prime Minister gave a brief interview to the Herald about his stay at the royal family’s Scottish retreat, making sure to keep certain details under wraps (one wants an invite back, after all).

The Keys had a chance to meet Prince George, whomwas described as a “very bonny baby.” They also took part in the famous Mountbatten-Windsor bbq, helmed by the Queen (who does the washing up afterwards) and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Despite still being on the mend from abdominal surgery, Prince Philip took charge of cooking.

“They all pitched in,” Keys told the paper while on a flight to France. “We helped lay the table, all the guests helped. It must be the only bit of informality they really have in their lives. It’s definitely an informal gathering.”

Keys had an audience with the Queen in her Balmoral sitting room, where the Cambridge’s official photo (taken by Michael Middleton) took pride of place on a table by one of the chairs.

Despite Balmoral being the Queen’s annual holiday, she invites prime ministers and other leaders from the Commonwealth realms to visit the historic castle, as well as set aside time to speak about business affairs.

Why Kate Middleton Keeps Her Distance From Issa

On Wednesday, Vanity Fair released their International Best Dressed list, and for the third consecutive year, the Duchess of Cambridge had pride of place among an elite group of movers and shakers.

VF listed out labels worn by Her Royal Highness, but one in particular has been completely wiped from Catherine’s royal wardrobe. Issa London was once a staple of the DoC’s, most famously on display at her engagement photocall on November 16th, 2010.

The Duchess wore an Issa bird print wrap dress to the Goring Hotel on the eve of 2011 s royal wedding, then again later that summer during her and William’s Canadian tour.

The last time we saw Catherine in Issa was at an evening event to mark 2011 Canada Day celebrations. The design was a bold purple version of her engagement dress, except with a gathering at the middle rather than a wrap around the torso.

That same month, the Telegraph and WWD announced that Camilla Al-Fayed, whose brother, Dodi died in the 1997 Paris car crash alongside Princess Diana, bought a 51% stake in the London-based company.

At the time of the sale, Issa’s designer Danielle Helayal praised Al Fayed on her business and style know-how.

“The investment will help to grow the business and take it to the next level,” Helayel said. “I looked at a lot of investors, and Camilla came with the best fit. She has the infrastructure behind her, she’s well connected, and she will open a lot of doors.”

The Windsors are believed to want no association whatsover with the Al-Fayed name for a number of reasons, one being patriarch Mohamed’s accusation that the car accident was a conspiracy planned by the royal family.

Mohamed Al-Fayed is famous for calling Prince Philip a “Nazi” and banned him from entering Harrods, which Al-Fayed sold to Qatar Holdings in 2010 for over $2 billion.

“Nothing and no one created more publicity for Issa than Kate in her rich blue engagement dress,” What Kate Wore‘s Susan Kelley said. “The company makes lovely garments, many that were stunning on Kate, it’s a shame we won’t see her wearing Issa designs in the future.”

In the 2011 documentary, Unlawful Killing, Al-Fayed called Queen Elizabeth a “gangster in a tiara,” and burned Harrods’ royal warrants on the grounds of his Surrey estate.

These are just a few reasons why the names “Issa” and the Duchess of Cambridge will never co-exist like once upon a time.

“I can’t imagine any circumstances in which we see Kate wearing the label again, the only possible exception would be if Ms. Al-Fayed were to sell the label and even then, I doubt the Duchess wants to be associated with Issa going forward,” Kelley added.

“One other element of the equation that isn’t frequently discussed, the brand capitalized on their now-tenuous ties to Kate in a way that generally doesn’t bode well for designers and retailers who hope to see the Duchess wearing their merchandise again.”

Her Royal Highness does not accept free clothes from designers, and has been very careful in selecting pieces for royal engagements, from a blue Stella McCartney dress at a July 2012 Olympic exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery to a printed Prabal Gurung dress in Singapore.

Though she’s known to favor British designs like Alexander McQueen, Temperley London and Jenny Packham, the Duchess of Cambridge also recycles items from her own wardrobe, and balances out high fashion with high street pieces from Zara and TopShop.

Let’s Discuss Kate Middleton’s Gorgeous Post-Birth Hair

Every woman in the world let out a collective “WTF” when the Duchess of Cambridge emerged from St. Mary’s Lindo Wing on Tuesday looking fresh-faced with glossy locks.

Not only were said locks curled, volumized and bouncy, but her ombre coloring was to die for.

Inquiring minds wanted to know how to get one’s hair to look like that (let’s call it the “I Just Gave Birth” treatment), so I called upon celebrity colorist and he-who-is responsible for the greatest Ombre highlights ever, George Papanikolas.

“Kate really is a ‘modern’ princess,” Papanikolas told me.

“Her gorgeous Ombre hair is just another example of how she can wear any trend with pure elegance. The key to what makes her Ombre sophisticated is that the graduation of color is only a few shades lighter than her root color.

“She has a chocolate base color, gradually fading to a honey blonde. Her loose waves accentuate the dimension.”

The takeaway: Bring a picture of Kate and Papanikolas’ guidance on Ombre highlights to your stylist. Better yet, if you’re in Los Angeles, pay Papanikolas a visit at the Andy Le Compte Salon.

Kate Middleton’s Best Pink And Blue Fashion Moments

Earlier this morning, the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital in London with labor pains. Accompanied by the Duke of Cambridge, Her Royal Highness traveled to the Lindo Wing by car from Kensington Palace, and entered through the Mary Stanford entrance, according to the Daily Mail.

On December 3rd, 2012, Clarence House announced that William and Catherine were expecting their first child together. Unfortunately for the couple, the announcement came before Catherine was out of her first trimester. The reason being that she was suffering from hyperemesis Gravidarum (acute morning sickness) and it was too much of a risk to hide her hospital visit from the press.

On January 14th, Clarence House announced that the royal couple would be expecting their child in July. on June 15th, Catherine made her last appearance before taking time off ahead of the birth.

Members of the press have been camped outside St. Mary’s Lindo wing since July 1st, coming up with clever ways to entertain themselves while waiting for any news.

Royalist Terry Hutt, a 78-year-old man from Cambridge, has also set up shop outside the wing, wearing head-to-toe Union Jack garb. He was joined by Will and Kate lookalikes late last week, who were set up by The Sun to psych everyone out.

William’s first call after the birth will be the Queen. Then the Prime Minister will be informed, and a declaration will be posted at the gates of Buckingham Palace. Following this will be a social media announcement on the baby’s gender, height, weight etc.

In addition, a 41-gun salute will go off at Green Park, as well as one at the Tower of London (the same was done for William’s birth in June 1982).

St. James’s Palace has confirmed that the Duke and Duchess’s household is now Kensington Palace.

Do you think Catherine will have a boy or girl?

Bucklebury Is Ready To P-A-R-T-Y Once Kate Middleton Gives Birth

Just as they did with the royal wedding, the tight-knit parish of Bucklebury is preparing to welcome a new member of the Middleton family into the fold.

Celebuzz spoke to local merchants about Her Royal Highness and the excitement surrounding Baby Cambridge’s arrival. The Old Boot Inn owner John Haley told us that the town is planning a do for the ages.

“It will be massive,” he said.

Haley was one of the Bucklebury business owners invited to William and Catherine’s wedding in 2011. Following the ceremony, Haley threw a celebration for the locals.

“After the wedding we had 350 people here for a party, and it’ll be much the same [for the birth]. Hoping for 200 people to come down!” he said proudly.

“I actually asked Kate if she could please tell me the date so we could plan the party. She said, ‘John I really would but I have no idea what day it is.’

“It’s very difficult to plan because we don’t know the arrival so we’re waiting,” Haley said jovially.

“Kate always comes in and orders something special,” he continued. “I asked her if we could reveal and serve her favorite dish and she said she wouldn’t mind.

“We have a bottle or two in the fridge ready to be popped when the baby is here – to wet the baby’s head and the parents and bless the baby,” Haley explained. “We are ready to party once we get that call.”

“We have a couple musicians in town so an odd guitar may be brought out.”

Martin Fidler, owner of The Bladebone Butchery, is quite thrilled for the his friends.

“We’ve known the Middletons from the beginning. They’re such a wonderful family,” he said. “We love them dearly. We just wish them the very best.”

As for William and Catherine’s new adventure?

“They’ll be wonderful parents to the next generation of the throne,” Fidler said.

In the words of Terry Hutt: Hip hip hooray!

-With reporting by Andrea Simpson