Gazette Firsts: The history of The Gazette and royal babies
As the official public record since 1665, The Gazette has been recording royal events for over three centuries. As part of our 'Gazette Firsts' series, we look through the archives at royal births, as described in The Gazette.
The Gazette and royal babies
Throughout its history, The Gazette has played a significant part in keeping the public
informed about the monarchy and has been documenting royal births since the 17th century.
Since The Gazette began recording royal births, many traditions and customs have changed, but others have remained. For example, from 1894 until 1936 Home Secretaries were required to attend royal births to verify that babies (and potential heirs to the throne) were a descendent of the monarch and not an imposter. Before this, the royal birth room was even more crowded with privy councillors and ministers joining medical practitioners and ladies-in-waiting.
The practice of solely the Home Secretary being present for verification was introduced by Queen Victoria for the birth of the future Edward VIII in 1894 (Gazette issue 26525). This custom was to happen for the final time in 1936, when the Queen’s cousin, Princess Alexandra, was born with Home Secretary John Simon present (Gazette issue 34354).
Some traditions, though, have not changed. For example, the centuries-old custom of posting a signed announcement on an ornate easel outside the monarch’s residence remains to this day. Much like announcements in The Gazette, current easel announcement at Buckingham Palace includes details such as the baby’s gender, time of birth, as well as a status confirming the health of the mother and child.
The traditional artillery salutes at Tower Bridge and in Hyde Park in London also still take place and did so in 2018 to mark the arrival of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's third child, Prince Louis (Gazette issue 62265).
Charles Stuart, Duke of Kendal
The first birth of a royal baby to be recorded in The Gazette was that of Charles Stuart, Duke of Kendal, son of the future King James II. He was born on 4 July 1666 and his birth was recorded in The Gazette with a short, one-sentence announcement (Gazette issue 67):
“This afternoon her Royal Highness was happily delivered of a Son, at St. James.”
The third son and fifth child of then James, Duke of Cambridge and Anne Hyde, sadly Charles Stuart died at St James's Palace just 10 months after his birth on 22 May 1667. He was buried in Westminster Abbey on 30 May 1667.
Edward VII
The first birth of a future monarch to have its own Gazette Extraordinary edition dedicated to it was that of Edward VII, who was born “at twelve minutes before eleven” in Buckingham Palace on 9 November 1841 (Gazette issue 20035).
According to The Gazette, the birth of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s eldest son was “immediately made known to the Town, by the firing of the Park and Tower Guns and the Privy Council being assembled as soon as possible thereupon, at the Council-Chamber, Whitehall, it was ordered, that a Form of Thanksgiving for the Queen's safe delivery of a Prince be prepared by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, to be used in all churches and chapels throughout England and Wales, and the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed”.
Elizabeth II
The birth of Elizabeth II was commemorated with a Gazette Extraordinary edition (Gazette 33153) on 21 April 1926. The edition read:
“This morning at twenty minutes before three o'clock Her Royal Highness The Duchess of York was safely delivered of a Princess at 17, Bruton Street, Mayfair.
His Royal Highness The Duke of York and the Countess of Strathmore were present.
Secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks was also present.
Her Royal Highness and the Infant Princess are doing perfectly well.
The happy event was made known by the firing of the Park and Tower guns.”
Charles, Prince of Wales
Current heir apparent, Charles had a Gazette Extraordinary edition published the day after his birth as he was seemingly born too late in the day for The Gazette to publish on 14 November 1948 (Gazette issue 38455):
“Yesterday evening at fourteen minutes after nine o'clock Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, was safely delivered of a Prince at Buckingham Palace.
His Majesty the KING, Her Majesty the QUEEN and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh were present.
Her Royal Highness and the Infant Prince are both well.
The happy event has been commemorated by the firing of the Park and Tower guns.”
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
The Gazette did, however, manage to publish a Gazette Extraordinary for Prince William on same evening as the birth on 21 June 1982 (Gazette issue 49027). William was the first royal in the direct line of succession to the throne to be born in a hospital and The Gazette Extraordinary was the first for a royal birth which did not mention the firing of the guns:
“This evening at 9.03 o'clock Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was safely delivered of a son at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales was present.
Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.”
Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor
The most recent edition of The Gazette to document a royal birth was published on 13 May 2019 to mark the birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, at the time the seventh in line to the throne. The Gazette Extraordinary was published a week after Archie’s birth on 6 May 2021 (Gazette issue 62640):
“On 6 May at 05.26, Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex was safely delivered of a son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex was present.
Her Royal Highness and her son are both well.”
See also
Gazette Firsts: The history of The Gazette and royal coronations
Gazette Firsts: The history of The Gazette and deceased estates notices
Gazette Firsts: The history of The Gazette and insolvency notices
The Gazette and its role during events of national significance
Images (in order of appearance):
The Gazette
Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021
Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021
Illustrated London News/Mary Evans
The Gazette
Publication date: 9 December 2021
Any opinion expressed in this article is that of the author and the author alone, and does not necessarily represent that of The Gazette.