Duchess of Cambridge: The world is going wild for the royal baby - Telegraph
Duchess of Cambridge: The world is going wild for the royal baby
Knitted kangaroos in Australia, baby showers in the US, Niagara Falls to be lit up pink or blue. Kate’s bump has gone global.
It is, the Washington Post declared, “the world’s most famous baby”. When the Duchess of Cambridge gives birth to her son or daughter in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s hospital, Paddington, next month, millions will be watching events – not just in Britain but around the globe. The first heir to the throne born in 31 years; grandchild of Diana, Princess of Wales; and the latest in a generation of young royals who are idolised like celebrities – it’s no wonder the royal birth is expected to generate £260 million worldwide.
In Britain, excitement remains muted, with royal-watchers waiting until the baby is born before planning celebrations. But around the world – in America, India and the former colonies of Australia, New Zealand and Canada – royal baby fever has reached a peak.
This week, a series of bizarre photographs of Julia Gillard showed the former Australian prime minister knitting a kangaroo for the new arrival. Knitted kangaroos, however, are just the tip of the iceberg of international obsession with the new prince or princess. Interest has been piqued by a number of recent royal tours: Kate and William’s trips to the Far East and Canada; Harry’s US visit in May and the various Diamond Jubilee expeditions all helped raise the monarchy’s profile abroad. As head of the Commonwealth, the Queen has always celebrated her close links with her overseas subjects; indeed, a story about Prince William’s Indian ancestors made front page headlines this month. So just how is the rest of the world gearing up for the royal birth?
Across the Atlantic, back-to-back media coverage is fuelling interest. This week, the Duchess appears on the cover of almost all the weekly magazines in America, and every aspect of her pregnancy is reported as front page news. In Canada, The Globe and Mail is planning a commemorative edition for publication after the birth, which it dubs “the hottest, best-viewed story of 2013”; while ABC News has set up a royal baby guestbook online. Signatories total more than 5,000, with contributions from Kenya, Indonesia, Qatar and Fiji. “The world can’t wait to meet you little one,” writes a fan from the Philippines.
“You can’t open a magazine over here without reading something about the royal baby,” says Victoria Arbiter, CNN’s royal correspondent. “This morning, one station featured nine burning questions about the royal baby: things like 'will it have a pet?’, 'what will it eat?’ and 'where will it go to school?’. It’s got quite funny now; if there’s even a tiny reason to mention the baby, they’ll do it. It’s everywhere, from People and the National Enquirer to Time magazine, which is running a slide show of Kate’s maternity style. We can’t get enough.”
With only two weeks to go until the official due date, royal-watchers as far afield as Cape Town, Ottawa and Mexico City are planning street parties, afternoon teas and baby-naming competitions. In Canada, celebrations are being organised nationwide, including a naming party at a naval officers’ mess in Ottawa and garden parties in Calgary. “We’re also asking for significant monuments to be lit up in blue or pink, such as Toronto’s CN Tower or Niagara Falls,” explains Robert Finch, president of the Monarchist League of Canada. “There has been a noticeable surge in Canadian interest in the Royal family in the last few years.” Baby showers – typically an American trend – are being held across the US to mark the birth.
Arianne Chernock, professor of modern British history at Boston University, says the international frenzy around the baby reflects an historical obsession. “The birth of William in the early Eighties was one of the top-selling People magazine stories of all time,” she explains. “In the early 20th century, the world followed the education of Princess Elizabeth with great interest; and during the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1838, the US press went berserk. You can see that happening again with the royal baby; it’s a global phenomenon.”