By Stephen Addison
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Duchess of
Cambridge, the wife of Prince William, gave birth
to a girl on Saturday, the couple's second child and
a great grand-daughter to Queen Elizabeth.
The royal family's newest member was born at 8:34
a.m., some 2-1/2 hours after Kate Middleton was
admitted in the early stages of labor to St Mary's
Hospital, West London, the couple's Kensington
Palace residence said in a statement.
The couple emerged later the same day with the
baby wrapped in a white woolen shawl and bonnet
to pose for photographs on the steps of the
hospital, a little over 12 hours after Kate arrived.
Kate cradled the sleeping princess in her arms as
the couple waved to the cheering crowd, although
they made no comment.
A few minutes later, Prince William carried the
baby in a car seat to a waiting vehicle, and then
drove his wife and new daughter the short distance
to Kensington Palace.
The baby princess will be fourth in line to the
throne behind her brother Prince George, father
William and grandfather Prince Charles, pushing her
uncle Prince Harry down a place in the royal
hierarchy.
The baby, whose name has yet to be announced,
weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and William was present at the
birth, the palace said.
"Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing
well," it added.
Both families of the couple had been informed,
including the new baby's great-grandparents Queen
Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She becomes the 89-
year-old queen's fifth great-grandchild.
William left the hospital later in the afternoon and
soon returned with young George to introduce him
to his new sister.
"I'm very happy," he told reporters and the large
crowd of royal fans, some of whom have been
camping outside for days.
The birth will provide a welcome distraction for
many Britons from the country's knife-edge general
election campaign, which comes to a head with the
vote next Thursday.
Britain's leading politicians took time out from the
election trail to send their best wishes.
Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted:
"Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge on the birth of their baby girl. I'm
absolutely delighted for them," while Labour leader
Ed Miliband said the news was fantastic and added
"I know the whole country will be wishing them
well.”
The birth has also provided a boon to the country's
bookmakers who having first offered odds on the
child's likely sex, now turn their attention to names,
with Charlotte, Alice, Victoria and Elizabeth the
current favorites.
Slightly longer odds are available on Diana, Eleanor
and Alexandra.
William, 32, was born at the same hospital to the
late Princess Diana in 1982.
He and Kate, 33, met as students at St Andrews
University in Scotland, married in a spectacular
ceremony at Westminster Abbey in April 2011.
Their first child, George, was born in July 2013.
When Kate leaves hospital, the couple will return
to Kensington Palace in central London for a
couple of days before heading to Anmer Hall, their
country mansion on the queen's Sandringham
estate in Norfolk, eastern England.
(Reporting by Stephen Addison and Paul Sandle;
Editing by Angus MacSwan/Hugh Lawson)

Source http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0NN09V20150502?irpc=932