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Royal Couple to Appear Any Minute; New Prince Makes First Appearance

Aired July 23, 2013 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: And, obviously, we welcome the United States viewers and those around the world as we watch for the very first viewing of the new royal baby boy.

I want to also turn our coverage over to my colleague, Brooke Baldwin, who will take it from here as we watch history together.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Suzanne, thank you so much. And great to see all of you. I'm Brooke Baldwin. And, again, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world.

Here we are again. And we do this dance. It was this time yesterday, just about, when we learned about the birth of a healthy eight pound six ounce baby boy. And now we are honed in on the doors of this Lindo (ph) wing, this private wing of this hospital, St. Mary's Hospital, where we have soon to be a baby boy breathing his first bit of fresh air. We know he will be making his appearance to I am sure what is a many, many, many reporters from all around the world. We have people all around London who will help us carry this live globally.

And, Max Foster, let me begin with you, because you have been in touch with your royal sources. Do we have the tick tock? Do we have -- do we have a timeline as far as when the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and the baby, will be making their first appearance?

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We've got the five minutes warning, so less than five minutes from now Kate -- they're going to be appearing on that doorstep. A huge moment in British history and in commonwealth history. So, everyone, as you can imagine, we've been here a long time, as you well know, Kate. Absolutely excited about this moment that's about to arrive.

This is a future heir to the monarchy in 16 countries. Never been seen before because he's just a day old. He's going to appear on that doorstep for the very first time. It's going to be an iconic moment that's going to be repeatedly used over the years, across the commonwealth, not just the U.K. And, of course, a huge celebrity in the United States already. So it's going to be a fascinating moment.

And you'll see the couple come outside. They'll pause, let everyone take photographs. Then William will walk down the steps, take a couple of questions. Then they'll go back in, Kate. And then this is the new twist to the modern monarchy. They'll go in, put the baby in the baby seat, and then -- sorry, I'm ducking and diving. And then they'll drive -- come back out and drive off.

Here's some of the nursing staff, Kate. I mean this is a very exciting moment for the whole hospital, of course, You can see all the staff there gathered, waiting for that little moment.

And this is, if we look at those members of staff, OK (ph), this is an interesting twist to what happened 31 years ago. Thirty-one years ago, there were two cameramen here. Look at all the camera phones and cameras surrounding this little moment. There's going to be so many more images of this one and that says so much, doesn't it?

BALDWIN: Max, it's amazing and I think you have the Duchess of Cambridge on the brain, as you should. This is Brooke Baldwin coming to you. We were doing this, this time last --

FOSTER: Oh, I'm so sorry, Brooke.

BALDWIN: No, you're fine. You're fine. And we were doing this, this time yesterday when you broke the news it was a healthy baby boy. So we're not going to go too far from you, Max Foster.

But let me just quickly check in, as we keep hopefully this live picture up of these doors. The doors seen round the world. Let me hop over to Kensington Palace, to Matthew Chance, because that is where, from what we understand, from Max's royal sources, this couple, with the baby, and the baby -- the royal car seat, if I may, head toward their new home.

Max Foster, set the scene for me. Or, forgive me, Matthew Chance, set the scene for me.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I'll get your name right, Brooke. It's definitely going to be the place where they're going to set up -- set up home. That's in the public domain. This is the palace, Kensington Palace here in West London where the royal couple, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have decided to make their family home. And they're going to be bring their newborn son, the prince of Cambridge, here very shortly by the sounds of what Max Foster was saying to us earlier.

It's been a royal residence for three centuries, but it's also got a lot of, you know, symbolism for William himself and, of course, here in Britain is where, Diana, Princess of Wales, lived. And, of course, it's where William and his brother Harry were also brought after they were born in that hospital, that same hospital, as well. It's where Diana tried to keep them and shield them from the public eye. I expect that this royal couple will want to do the same, to the extent that they can, with their young prince as well.

BALDWIN: And, Matthew, just so we're all clear, their apartment, this beautiful apartment that I know 've seen photographs of Kate around London picking out linens for --

CHANCE: Yes.

BALDWIN: It's not even entirely finished, correct?

CHANCE: Well, they've spent a lot of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars, on renovating it, ready for the royal couple to come back with their new baby. And it's going to be finished. It's more or less going to be finished. You can see there's some building works continuing now. I don't know whether that's the actual apartment, apartment 1A, where they're going to be living. But, you know, they're going to be living fine. They've also got a very famous neighbor, of course. Prince Harry, Prince William's brother, will be living in the apartment right next door.

BALDWIN: And, Christiane Amanpour, let me skip over to you at Westminster Abby. And, Christiane, I remember being a little, little girl sitting with my mother watching -- it was, you know, Princess Diana, and it was Charles and baby William walk down these exact steps at St. Mary's Hospital 31 years ago. Do you remember where you were?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, do I remember. I was actually in the United States beginning my career and watching from there what was going on. A new story that I certainly did not cover, but, you know, being part English myself, having seen the royal wedding a few years before and, as so many people around the world, you know, I sort of -- everybody plays into what this is, which is such a special moment for this country and what signifies the United Kingdom, Great Brittan, this royal story, is the story of these (INAUDIBLE) and has been for so many, many generations. And it is part of people's life. It really is.

And to that end, you had people all over celebrating. You know, somebody was saying that it cost -- it would cost some 90 million pounds in celebrating the birth. People going to the pubs. People buying that much, you know, wine and beer and ale just to celebrate the birth. And so many hundreds of millions of pounds have been brought into this country by each and every one of these major royal event, whether they're weddings, whether they are, as you see, a birth, whether they're jubilees. And so this is something that this country really loves and also feeds on.

Now, you obviously do have, in corners of the country, people who don't. Republicans, if you like, which is not to be confused with the American political party, but those who believe that the monarchy really is outdated, and is a drain on the coffers, but really the dollars and cents, the tourists, the polls that are taken regularly on this monarchy show that, in fact, it's something that's very, very central to people's lives.

And also to the lives of people all over the world because this is what draws people from America, from Europe, from all over the world. And there have been so many tourists from all over the world who rushed to Buckingham Palace last night, for instance, to see the proclamation that was eventually framed and set up on that gilded easel announcing formally that the Duchess of Cambridge had had her baby boy.

BALDWIN: Right. AMANPOUR: That, of course, was meant to be the only way and the first way we were meant to hear about it. But they had, in fact, decided at the last minute to send out a press release on the birth.

So this means a lot to the people of this country and to the fabric of this nation as well, as the prime minister said, after the baby was born last night.

BALDWIN: Yes, the royal family, an integral part of lives, not just in Britain, but there are these 16 realms. This is news worldwide.

Christiane, thank you so much.

If you're just now joining us, we are watching as we got that five minute warning. If I'm doing the math correctly, live on air, it should be any minute now we should see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with baby Cambridge, walk through those doors, much as we saw baby William 31 years ago.

We're not going to move. We won't budge from this spot. And, I promise, I will stop talking. We just want to soak in this historic moment that should be happening momentarily.

For now, I'd like to go over to Becky Anderson at Buckingham Palace, where we have seen the throngs of not only those who live in London, who want to be part of this -- of this history, but the tourists taking the photographs, you know, fortunately in town, for such an incredible event.

Becky Anderson, what has London been like in the last 24 hours?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been extraordinary. You know, and the prime minister alluded to this, two years ago we had a royal wedding. Last year we had the diamond jubilee. And now we have what is this iconic moment as we await the departure of Kate and William and their first born from the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital. Our cameras trained on that door, as you say.

I'm here at Buckingham Palace. And, yes, there are crowds still who are getting their iPhone, their tablet photos, as it were, with that gilded easel. They're there. You know, there are lots and lots of them. Huge cheers last night here at Buckingham Palace outside when the story -- when the baby's birth was announced. As you rightly point out, eight pounds six ounces, born at 4:24 in the afternoon. And it was a little thumb (ph). And that's all we know.

We are not expecting, Brooke, as you and I know, but let's make sure that our viewers know, to find out what he will be called. So still much speculation and money being taken at the bookmakers about exactly what that will be. Eyes trained on that door.

BALDWIN: Our eyes are trained on the door. Becky Anderson, thank you.

Becky brought up a great point about the name. We learned Harry's name the day of his birth. We learned William's name many days later. Charles, a month later. And often times -- let me to go you, Victoria Arbitor, oftentimes, back in the day, if I may, you know, the world didn't really get to see that one photo op, that moment, that baby boy or girl, until the christening. This is relatively new.

VICTORIA ARBITOR: Well, that's right. And I think it just goes to show this multimedia modern world in which we live.

Diana was not the first royal to have a baby in the hospital, but William was the first heir to be born in a hospital. And so, of course, it caused much excitement that we were able to have that photo op as they were leaving the hospital over 31 years ago.

But what's very different today is the fact that back there were obviously quite a few cameras, but today we've got the world's media represented. There are crowds of people that have all flocked down to see it. It's a beautiful time of year to be in London, so there are a lot of tourists. Everyone getting to witness, really, this moment in history that is so very exciting. It's the first time since 1894 that we've got three direct heirs to the throne living at the same time as the reigning monarch. So, really, we're about to see who could potentially be the first monarch of the 22nd century. So that's pretty impressive.

BALDWIN: I think that bears repeating as we continue to fixate on these door at the hospital, 1894. That is why this is history. Three direct heirs to the throne, in addition to, as we know, Queen Elizabeth, the reigning queen.

Max Foster, let me go back to you, as you are standing in front of -- we can't see you, we're trained on these doors of the Lindo (ph) wing of the St. Mary's Hospital. And something that you said that struck me, you know, talk about 31 years ago when we saw -- when we saw baby William. Tell me how many camera men were standing outside these doors.

FOSTER: Well, at that time there was -- there were dozens of cameramen outside the door, still photographers, but just two video photographers.

BALDWIN: Wow.

FOSTER: Only two channels in Britain at the time. And that's the big difference. I mean I can't count them and they're literally from every part of the world. Five Polish TV networks and four French ones, Brooke. So that just gives you an idea. And that's not even mentioning the Sebathian (ph).

BALDWIN: And we should point out maybe that the couple, the royal couple, running a tad late. We forgive them. They have a little baby in toe.

FOSTER: Yes.

BALDWIN: A healthy eight pound six ounce baby in toe. Remind our viewers, Max, who are watching around the world, what we should exactly hopefully shortly. FOSTER: Well, I can see the private secretary pushing the door, so let's see. Here we go. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are about to come out onto the doorstep with their new heir. He's a prince. And we're not going to get his name, unfortunately. But I can see the senior royal aids there hovering around the door. There are some (INAUDIBLE) royal members of staff and the press team who have had a huge amount to deal with. So they clearly are about to come out. There's some security there as well hovering through the door. They're picking their moment. But another false start, I think, Brooke. But they're certainly planning on coming out.

BALDWIN: I know, we keep seeing people run out and I can hear the screams through your microphone of people waiting, thinking it might be Kate and William and baby Cambridge, not yet. So were the people who came out just then, Max, were those -- those who help the royal family? Might that be perhaps a sign of things to come?

FOSTER: No. These are hospital staff.

Here we go. I can see William.

BALDWIN: Oh, here we go.

FOSTER: Here he comes. I can see Kate. Can we see the baby? There's the baby.

BALDWIN: Oh, let's just listen.

FOSTER: The new royal heir in the United Kingdom. And the Duchess of Cambridge smiling. Looking so well, isn't she?

BALDWIN: Wearing blue.

FOSTER: A big smile from Prince William. So proud.

PRINCE WILLIAM: (INAUDIBLE) how about as soon as we can. But the first time we see him really, so (INAUDIBLE) proper chance to catch up.

It's very emotional.

DUCHESS KATE: Yes, it's very emotional. An emotional time I think for any -- any parent (INAUDIBLE) probably (INAUDIBLE) know what this feeling feels like.

PRINCE WILLIAM: It's very special.

He was. And I'll remind him of his tininess when he's a bit older. So I know how long you've all been standing out here. So hopefully the hospital and you guys can all get back to normal now and we can, you know, look after him, so --

He's got her lips, thankfully.

DUCHESS KATE: No, no, no. (INAUDIBLE).

PRINCE WILLIAM: (INAUDIBLE). Wait and see, Peter (ph). Wait and see.

No, we've done that already.

That's good.

No, he's got way more than me. Thank God.

Thanks a lot. Thank you.

BALDWIN: Max Foster, I see you putting a microphone back on you, as we just watched this moment. We'll sit on this for just a moment. I see a car pulling up. I don't know if we can pull out the shot. This is the car, Max, are you with me, in which they'll put the baby seat?

FOSTER: Yes, I am. So the plan is, they've gone in, they're going to put the baby in a baby seat, which any new parent will tell you isn't as easy as it seems and they're then going to drive off to Kensington Palace. But you saw the couple (INAUDIBLE), didn't you, when they were talking to the camera. A lot of frustration amongst the photographers that don't -- didn't get a proper picture of the face. This was a similar problem with Prince William. But we'll see when all of photos eventually do come in.

BALDWIN: So as we watch for them to reappear with the royal car seat, I had a tough time, I don't know about your viewers, I had a tough time making out what Kate and William said through the screams of the crowd, other than the fact that they said he has lots of hair and William says he has her lips. What did we miss?

FOSTER: Yes. Well, I didn't hear it all properly either because of all the screaming photographers. But the one that I caught was, he's a heavy boy. You know he -- I mean having followed William for some time now, he was really, really (INAUDIBLE) pleased, happy. And Kate looked really relaxed, completely natural.

It was interesting to see how she came out with the baby in her arms and then William then took the baby from her. And that would have been a choreographed move. So this is a joint partnership, joint parenting. It's not just his child, it's not just her child, this is two very hands on parents who have been through all of this together over the last 48 hours.

BALDWIN: And, Max, how incredibly fitting to see both William and Kate in that baby blue color. And I couldn't help but again see that gorgeous ring of her that was William's mothers, the engagement ring, all blue, all tied together for this moment. The royal baby making his first appearance, who was born right around this time yesterday as you were live on our air, reporting the news. A healthy eight pound, six ounce baby boy.

And here we are, just about 24 hours later, reporting history once again. Seeing, for the first time, this prince. This prince saying hello to the world. And now we wait because they go back inside, they grab the car seat, and then they hop back in this car and they are off to Kensington Palace. Do we have any idea, from your royal sources, Max, beyond arriving at Kensington Palace -- here they are. Oh, this was moments ago. Beyond arriving at Kensington Palace, what is the next -- what does the next week look like?

FOSTER: Well, they're not telling us at the moment but it's only a small cottage at Kensington Palace. Their proper apartment isn't quite ready yet. The family home. That will be ready in the autumn. So they, I suspect, will only spend a few days there. Then they may go back to Bucklebury. William's got about a week and a half left of paternity leave before he goes back to work.

The queen goes on holiday on Friday. She's currently at Buckingham Palace in London. So I would have thought actually one of the priorities will be to introduce the queen to her future heir. There are now three heirs to the queen, and that hasn't happened since the time of Queen Victoria.

Let's have a look at them get in the car.

BALDWIN: Here we go. The car seat and the baby.

FOSTER: So sweet.

BALDWIN: So sweet.

Oh, is he driving? He's driving.

FOSTER: I mean there's so much here, Brooke, that's symbolic, I have to say. William driving. William putting the car seat in. William being here throughout the labor, staying overnight. This modern monarchy, Brooke, I think that's the message that we got from that. We didn't see hundreds of palace aides really taking control of the situation, doing everything for him. This is Kate and William's baby. And you can see him driving off in the car, putting the car seat in. I think that was really -- really interesting. And, you know, it's a modern era. You can certainly tell that from the media here. And we really got a sense of that from the way they rehearse this. I mean I don't mean rehearsed, but that was a choreographed thing. They never do anything without thinking about it. And they want to show that they're hands on.

BALDWIN: Incredible. Max Foster pointing out the poignancy and the symbolism. Max Foster at St. Mary's Hospital, where we know the royal couple and the little itty bitty baby prince has now officially left. Max, we'll check back in with you.

Meantime, we know that car is en route to Kensington Palace, where the couple will be living. They've still been redoing their beautiful apartment and they will have a neighbor, that being his brother, Prince Harry.

Let's go to Kensington Palace, to Matthew Chance, who is standing by.

Matthew, we await the car. We await the arrival.

CHANCE: Yes. Yes, remarkable scenes, weren't they, there outside of St. Mary's Hospital.

BALDWIN: Yes.

CHANCE: Really astonishing, what struck me, the amount of media that's out there. The life that this prince has got to look forward to. He's going to be absolutely documented, photographed, and videoed every step of the way clearly. And much of it is going to be at this palace here, Kensington Palace in West London. You mentioned there's an apartment inside, apartment 1A. It's the biggest apartment inside. It's being renovated. Apparently hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on that.

In the meantime, they're going to live in a small cottage which is on the grounds of Kensington Palace, with the ultimate aim of moving into that apartment. They'll do that, obviously, when it's ready.

I mentioned earlier, they're going to have a very famous neighbor. It's the prince's uncle, Prince Harry, Prince William's brother. He's going to be living in an apartment here as well. And so they're going to keep the family still very tight, focused on Kensington Palace, which is, of course, where William and Harry, where they grew up with their mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales. And so there's an enormous emotional bond for that family to this building behind me.

BALDWIN: We'll check back in with you because we don't want to miss the moment when the car arrives. Matthew Chance, we'll be back with you momentarily.

But Victoria Arbiter, if I may, I'd like to bring you in and bounce off a point that Max Foster made. Really just two words, modern monarchy. I mean he pointed out, astutely so, that clearly that was a choreographed move, not only when this couple, you know, came outside, that Kate first had the baby, hands the baby to her husband, and then ultimately we see -- we see William, and many people assumed he would not be the one driving home to Kensington Palace, but indeed he got behind the driver's seat. He placed this baby boy in the car seat and away they went. What message do you think that this couple is trying to send?

ARBITER: Well, I think people are often surprised that William's doing the driving, but he tends to drive the couple a lot. He's very keen for people to see that he's normal. We often hear about his desperate desire to be normal. And he's a family man. He's a husband. And now he's a new father.

And I have to say, I was impressed with the car seat moves. He's clearly been practicing because my husband certainly wasn't that good with the car seat the very first time. But when you're doing it in front of the world's media, I think you've got to put some practice in.

But, yes, I think it just goes to show, they don't have a nanny. They want to be hands on. They want to really enjoy these early days with their baby. The fact that it was just the two of them in the hospital for that 24 hour period before Kate's parents popped in and then Charles and Camilla is just a really lovely family unit. They looked radiant.

BALDWIN: Look at him. Very at east, as you point out. I'm sure many mommies to be are saying to their honey, you see, the prince can do this, you can too.

You brought up the point about normalcy. We know much of that was instilled in him and his brother by their mother, the late Princess Diana. Do you think -- how is normalcy possible in this day and age?

ARBITER: Well, that's a very good question, Brooke, because it really isn't. There is only so normal an HRH can possibly be. But what's great for William is the fact that he's only second in line to the throne. His child is only third in line to the throne, which means there aren't the same pressures on him that Charles faced when he first brought William out of the hospital. He's able to sort of have a bit more of a relaxed, full royal schedule, whereas Charles was doing all royal duties, as was Diana pretty quickly after having Prince William.

So I think they're quite fortunate in that respect. So they're going to be normal in the way that they don't have a nanny. William's going to change diapers. That's new. Charles -- it wasn't that he was necessarily opposed to it, but he grew up with nannies. He wouldn't have thought about doing things any differently. So I think we're really going to see a lovely threesome presence more often than not.

BALDWIN: You see it was so difficult to hear them speak amid the cacophony of the media, but, you know, he's saying that -- William had said this little boy has way more hair and he has her lips, and I think Kate say something to the effect of, you know, any parent really knows what this feeling feels like.

Again, the royal couple, and the baby, we'll call him baby Cambridge because we may not know for days and days what this little ones name is.

Let me hop over to Buckingham Palace, if we have Becky Anderson still standing by, because, Becky, I know you have been covering the royals for years and years and I absolutely value your opinion and just your reaction to what we have witnessed, to what the world has witnessed in the last 10 minutes.

ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely remarkable, isn't it? And this is such a moment in time. And to see William driving off, as we are here on our screens, it's just -- as Max suggested, this is a very modern monarchy, isn't it?

Here at the palace there are big screens up, so you wouldn't have got -- or expected to hear a sort of huge cheer from (ph) me (ph), but there are many, many, many people still queuing up to get their photos of the gilded easel, which is still on the forecourt (ph). That was where the official announcement, of course, of this birth, only, what, 28 hours ago, was posted.

So, yes, I mean it's a fantastic atmosphere. And let me describe a couple of things. I've got Kate Williams with me here. You've seen taxies, for example, I've never seen this before, black cabs with these huge signs in blue saying "it's a boy" last night.

KATE WILLIAMS: "It's a boy."

ANDERSON: There are signs on the back of London buses saying "toot if you're up for the boy." And people have been beeping their horns.

WILLIAMS: It's (INAUDIBLE). I mean we saw the London Eye (ph), (INAUDIBLE) decorated in blue. We've seen the actual water in the fountains was also blue. We've kind of gone blue crazy, and I think this is going to set the scene for the next couple of weeks, a lot of blue, because we've got -- now got our future king.

ANDERSON: Kate, one thing William said, and, Brooke, I'll bring you in on this as well, he's got a good pair of lungs on him, that's for sure. He's a big boy. He's quite heavy. But we are still working on a name, so we'll have that as soon as we can. Yes, right. They'll be keeping (INAUDIBLE) on that one, I think.

WILLIAMS: We want that name.

ANDERSON: He's got a good pair of lungs on him. So whether he slept in the same room as Kate last night or not, he certainly heard this baby.

WILLIAMS: Well, yes, William did sleep in a separate room, an adjoining room too, so obviously Kate could be with the baby. But we know when William was born, one of the palace announcements was "it cried lustily (ph)." I think it looks like little Prince Cambridge has inherited his dad's pair of lungs. And, you know, as a king, you've got to have a voice that carries when you're opening parliament.

ANDERSON: Absolutely.

Brooke, I live very close to Kensington Palace, so let me just give you a sense of timing, as much as I can. They left the Lindo (ph) wing at St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington about, what, three or four minutes ago now. I would suggest, if you had an outrider or an escort, which it looked as if they did, certainly they had a security detail behind them, if the roads are clear, or even in traffic, that journey to Kensington Palace is no more than about six or seven minutes. It's really, really close. This is the local hospital to Kensington Palace. So they should be arriving absolutely imminently. And I'm sure -- yes, we see it, around the whole royal borough (ph) of Chelsea (ph) at this stage is electric.

Brooke.

BALDWIN: Hopefully we will have that photo-op as you describe Kensington Palace.

Let me just, if you are just joining us, and if you are wondering, well, I'm going to assume safely that you're not wondering what we're talking about. You know exactly what we're talking about. You'd have to be under a rock to not know what we're talking about. This little baby boy that the royal couple have now had, first moment -- his first hello to the world, if I may. And I just want to replay the sound when this couple, Kate and William and baby Cambridge emerged from this hospital moments ago. Here you go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOSTER: Here's the baby! The new royal heir in the United Kingdom. And the duchess of Cambridge smiling. Looking so well, isn't she? A big smile from Prince William, so proud.