- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
LONDON – British newspaper front pages on Tuesday were dominated by royal baby puns and headlines as the media frenzy here continued following Monday night’s birth of Kate Middleton’s and Prince William’s first child.
News networks BBC News and Sky News continued nearly wall-to-wall coverage of the royal baby, and other networks led newscasts with the latest updates. ITV aired a one-hour special on the birth of the royal baby on Tuesday morning.
PHOTOS: The World’s Most Notable Princes and Princesses
By Tuesday morning, much of the TV debate centered on when the royal couple and their newborn might leave the hospital.
BBC News said that hundreds of people had joined the world media outside St. Mary’s Hospital early Tuesday to get a glimpse of the family if they decided to leave during the day. Sky News reported that the couple and baby were indeed expected to leave later on Tuesday if Middleton was physically ready and doctors gave the green light.
The Sun tabloid, part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, changed its name and logo on its front page in honor of the royal baby to “The Son.” Underneath, it ran a large picture of the official document announcing the royal baby’s birth. The treatment drew many positive comments from media types and others on Twitter early Tuesday.
Meanwhile, News Corp’s The Times of London used the headline “A Prince Is Born.” Its Tuesday edition was promoted as a “souvenir edition,” with in-depth baby coverage. The wrap-around cover featured the headline “Welcome to the World.”
PHOTOS: London’s Royal Baby Frenzy
The Daily Mirror put a picture of Middleton and Prince William on its cover underneath the headline “Our Little Prince.”
The Guardian hinted at the significant role the baby could play one day given that he is third in line to ascend to the British throne, behind Prince Charles and Prince William. The paper’s headline: “A Birth, a Boy, a Prince, a King.”
The most popular headline in the U.K. papers was “It’s a Boy,” which the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Express and the Daily Star put on their front pages. Metro used “Oh Boy! Kate Gets the Son She Dreamed Of.”
The Daily Mail gave the news a Prince Charles spin and featured a big picture of the son of Queen Elizabeth II. “Oh Boy! One’s a Grandpa,” it read.
The Independent went with “Special Delivery. Duchess Gives Birth to a Prince — and a Global Media Feeding Frenzy Begins.” The newspaper’s compact edition, known as i, was more to the point. Its headline simply said: “Born to Rule.”
The Financial Times featured a slew of business and finance news on its front page as usual, but it dedicated the top right space to the royal baby. Its headline: “Royal Arrival: Duchess of Cambridge Gives Birth to Boy.”
E-mail: Georg.Szalai@THR.com
Twitter: @georgszalai
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day