Monarchy fans prepare for birth of Duchess of Cambridge's second child
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Version 0 of 1. In his union flag suit, adorned with commemorative royal pins, and his patriotic umbrella hat, Terence Hutt says he is always the first monarchy enthusiast to arrive at the biggest royal occasions. “I’m the godfather of the group,” the 79-year-old former soldier tells the Guardian from his prime location outside the Lindo wing where he is sitting with a handful of other exuberant royal family fans, awaiting the imminent birth of the Duchess of Cambridge’s second child. “They rely on me to save their spots. I negotiate with the police, I make sure we can’t miss out.” With the second royal baby due any day, it is hoped there will be a second Great Kate Wait, as the crowd outside St Mary’s hospital in Paddington termed the three-week-long standby when the duchess gave birth to Prince George. The royals have been dropping hints about a more specific due date to avoid the same circus. Hutt, a campaigner for the Greater London Pensioners’ Association, said he had become adept at spotting the signs the royals are on their way. “You can tell when the security starts to be a little on edge. But when they polish the brass on the Lindo wing door knobs, that means they’re coming.” This time the atmosphere is different, said Margaret Tyler, 71, cradling a collectible Prince George christening doll with a replica outfit purchased from a catalogue. “It was just like a street party, so exciting. The media were great fun, there was nothing happening and they started even interviewing each other. I think [Sky News anchor] Kay Burley did an 11-hour stint. It was amazing.” There are fewer casual fans here for number two, Tyler said. But she added: “For William and Catherine, it will be just as important and special. I hate the phrase ‘heir and a spare’. I’m so glad Prince George will have a brother or sister, I was an only child and I hated it.” Even if the duchess goes past her due date, the diehard fans will wait as long as it takes. Tyler said she can no longer cope with sleeping outside and relied on her friends to keep her spot overnight. “I will stay out even if it rains,” Hutt, who travelled by coach from Weston-super-Mare, said. “You wouldn’t leave a football match for the weather, not before the final whistle, and this is the same.” He is one of the longest-standing veteran of royal events, having followed the Windsors for 30 years. “Diana was my favourite, every year we go to Kensington Palace on the anniversary of her death to pay our respects,” Hutt said. “Now William and Kate are my favourites, they will make such a wonderful king and queen.” Hutt has a present for George, a union flag piggy bank, as well as a knitted babygrow in neutral blue and white, for a prince or princess. Though he expects the baby “in the next day or two”, he would be even more thrilled with an arrival next week. “Then they’d have to call the baby Terence. Or Amber, after my granddaughter, if it’s a girl. There’s long odds on that, I’d make a fortune if they did,” he said. Carol Foster, 55, had two posters beside her, one for a prince, one for a princess. But she said she was secretly hoping for a girl. “It would be nice to have a princess, maybe a Victoria, a Charlotte, maybe a Diana.” She had travelled to royal events from her home in Kingston-upon-Thames for a decade, which makes her a relative newbie compared to the rest of the gang. “My favourite was the wedding, that was just absolutely wonderful. Last time we came [to the Lindo wing] it was absolutely manic. But we wouldn’t miss it.” |