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Prince George

Countdown to royal baby No. 2 calmer than first

Maria Puente
USA TODAY
The Lindo Wing at St.Mary's Hospital in London where second royal baby will be born.

The barricades and "No Parking" signs have gone up around St. Mary's Hospital in London, so the official countdown to the birth of the second royal baby is under way.

But it's not as crazy as last time, when Prince William's and Duchess Kate's first royal baby, Prince George Alexander Louis, made his debut in a blaze of camera lights and a blizzard of tweets in July 2013.

Instead, the fever that overtook London two years ago has cooled down considerably — even the eager media's Camp Cambridge is no more.

The barricades for the press pen on the street outside the maternity Lindo Wing of St. Mary's have been erected but there's no sign of the forest of step-stools and camera equipment that impeded foot traffic for weeks in 2013.

Back then, a horde of reporters, photographers and place-sitters sweltered in unusually miserable summer heat, waiting and sweating for the birth, getting in the way of hospital patients and workers.

Media wait outside St. Mary's Hospital in London before birth of Prince George of Cambridge in July 2013.

Not this time. Instead, the media had to make reservations with Kensington Palace and the hospital to get a stakeout spot. Not until the duchess has actually checked into the hospital will the U.K. and world media be allowed to assemble to cover the arrival of the new prince or princess.

Why is there less frenzy about Will and Kate's "spare to the heir"? There's a lot going on, says Simon Perry, royal correspondent in London for People, which is already deep into its customary lavish coverage of anything to do with the Cambridges.

This time, Perry says, the royal birth is taking place when the U.K. is consumed with an impending general election, on May 7, which is dominating the front pages of newspapers and websites.

"But there's no doubt that a royal baby definitely balances that out, adding a celebratory touch to the news," Perry says.

And there's no doubt the countdown is "certainly less hysterical — by now last time there were camera crews and photographers at the hospital," he says. "That hasn't happened and the noise about it is lower accordingly."

Still, true royal fans are as excited as ever. "I think there's a growing feeling that people may get to see little George possibly visiting his mum once the baby's born so that's adding to the buzz," says Perry.

Prince William and Duchess Kate show their newborn Prince George to world's media outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in London on July 23, 2013.

Palace officials have said little on the record about arrangements but did issue a statement describing the couple as "hugely grateful for the warm wishes they have received" from around the world.

"They know that people are excited that Prince George will soon have a little brother or sister and it means a great deal to them that so many will be celebrating this important moment for their family," the statement said.

Of course, polls in the U.K. and the USA show that not everyone is interested in the second royal baby. YouGov's latest surveys of Brits and Yanks found that only about 26% of Americans are very or fairly interested, while 37% of Brits say they are very or fairly interested.

Nevertheless, royal bunting is being unfurled, and pricey trinkets and cheap souvenirs are selling. The Royal Mint is issuing special commemorative silver pennies to be given to all U.K. babies born on the same day.

In the USA, TetleyTea is holding a Royal Baby Pool that will award a fancy tea set and free tea for a year. And Huggies is donating diapers to a national diaper bank and giving a free pack of diapers to every American baby born on the same day (an estimated 11,000 infants).

Here's what we know and don't know about the next royal bundle of joy:

Due date? The precise due date is unknown; Kate has said only that it's mid- to late April. The betting is on the weekend of April 25-26.

Boy or girl? Like last time, the couple have not disclosed the sex of the baby in advance, but the betting is on a girl this time. If so, the new princess will be the first royal baby to be born under altered succession rules. She will be fourth in line to the throne, behind George, and will remain so even if she gets a baby brother later.

Workmen erect security barriers on April 16 outside St Mary's Hospital in London for the press pen.

What hospital? St. Mary's Lindo Wing in Paddington is the preferred venue because it's close to Kensington Palace. Two other hospitals outside London and closer to her parents' house are in the mix in case of early delivery. But at St. Mary's she gets a 10% discount for loyalty since that's where her first was born.

Where's Dad? Prince William started a new job as an air ambulance pilot near his Norfolk country home so he may have to make a two-hour car dash to London if Kate goes into labor early, according to a media briefing by palace officials last week.

The doctors: Alan Farthing and Guy Thorpe-Beeston, who were on the team last time. The leader of the Prince George team, Marcus Setchell, the queen's longtime gynecologist, retired afterwards and was knighted for his services.

Name: Like last time, betting is heavy but facts are few. In the U.K., James, Alice and Charlotte are favored. In the USA, it's Diana, which is probably not going to happen. The name won't be announced until the day after the birth, at the earliest.

Birth announcement: Like last time, the queen will get the news first by phone. The couple will have some time alone with the baby before the palace puts out the word via email and Twitter, with TV reporters broadcasting live as the alert pops up on their smartphones. Later, the traditional announcement on framed parchment will be delivered by a footman to Buckingham Palace and propped on an easel at the gates.

Framed proclamation of the birth of Prince George of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace, July 22, 2013.

The presentation: The day after the birth, the couple will emerge from the hospital with the baby, pose before cheering crowds and flashing cameras, maybe say a few words that only the reporters nearest will hear, and then drive off. Last time, Will did the driving.

Where to next? To their vast Kensington Palace apartment first for a few days, then up north to Norfolk to their country retreat Anmer Hall on the royal Sandringham Estate, where they will bond with baby and their active toddler, big brother George. The expectation is that Kate will take a longer maternity leave from her royal job of public appearances than last time.

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