Kate’s in labour, in hospital. It’s official.

The Great Kate Wait is nearly over. She was admitted to hospital early this morning. It appears Kate, duchess of Cambridge, went into labour naturally. Once safely inside St. Mary’s Hospital, royal officials told the world:

The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in the early stages of labour

Published on 22nd July 2013

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge has been admitted to St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London in the early stages of labour.

The Duchess travelled by car from Kensington Palace to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge.

Kate and William’s arrival occurred so early in the morning that most of the media who have camped outside St. Mary’s Hospital were tucked in bed. Not any more:

#royal #kate Few More people outside the Lindo Wing now waiting for #BabyCambridge pic.twitter.com/KeqCP4WRuc

— Paul Harrison (@SkyNewsRoyal) July 22, 2013

So now, after three weeks of no information, comes hours of even more of the same. Citizens won’t know anything until a royal courier leaves the hospital with the big news, which will be taken to Buckingham Palace to be placed on an easel in the forecourt so the world can finally know the sex, weight and time of arrival of the future monarch.

Just in case you want to follow along, the Telegraph has a live blog with all the royal baby updates.

Until then, royal watchers will have some waiting to do while the duchess is in labour.

Here is a look at the royal baby-to-be, by numbers:

2 – Number of years the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were married before the birth of their baby.
3 – William and Kate’s baby will be born third in line to the throne and the Queen’s third great-grandchild.
4 – The baby will bump Prince Harry down to fourth in line to the throne.
5 – William and Kate’s first-born will be the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild (five greats) of Queen Victoria.
16 – The baby will one day be head of state of 16 countries.
31 – William and Kate will both be 31 when the baby is born.
41 – Royal births are celebrated with a 41-gun salute.
43 – If the baby follows the Prince of Wales and William on to the throne, he or she will be the 43rd monarch since William the Conqueror in 1066.
£6,265 – Cost of a one-night stay and delivery package at the private Lindo wing including a suite of two rooms, but excluding consultants’ fees.
£19 million – The yearly income from the Duchy of Cornwall landed estate – which, when one day the baby becomes the heir apparent, will be used as its private funding.
Two billion – The baby may one day be head of the Commonwealth, which covers 54 nations and two billion citizens.