MEET THE MEDICAL TEAM WHO WILL HELP DELIVER THE ROYAL BABY

Kate Middleton and her unborn royal baby are being cared for by a top medical team that includes the Queen's former and current gynaecologists.

Now that the Duchess of Cambridge is in labour in the Lindo wing of St Mary's hospital, Paddington, the mum-to-be is being looked after by the monarch's current surgeon-gynaecologist Dr Alan Farthing and his predecessor Dr Marcus Setchell.

Dr Setchell, who was the Queen's gynaecologist for 18 years until 2008, was on hand to look after Kate, 31, when she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum at the beginning of her pregnancy.

He has previous experience of delivering royal babies. He delivered Sophie, Countess of Wessex's two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. He also cared for Sophie following her ectopic pregnancy in 2001.

Dr Setchell is assisted in delivering the future heir by Dr Farthing at the same hospital where Princes William and Harry were born.

Consultant Dr Farthing, 47, is the former fiancé of murdered television presenter Jill Dando and took up his role in the royal household in 2008. This is the first royal pregnancy since his appointment.

 

Dr Farthing

Dr Setchell was about to retire when he received a call from the royals last year asking him to deliver Prince William and Kate Middleton's first born baby .

The doctor, who will turn 70 in October, has joked that he might return from retirement to deliver the other babies that the royal couple are believed to be planning.

"Marcus says he will retire after the baby is born but because he knows they are planning more children , he will probably have to take time out of his retirement to deliver those too," a source close to Marcus told the Mirror.

 

The Lindo Wing at St Mary's hospital

The Lindo Wing, within one of London's NHS-run teaching hospitals, also welcomed Zara Phillips and Peter Phillips into the world. According to the hospital's website, a normal delivery package costs £4,965 for the first 24 hours, rising to £6,420 for the first 24 hours of a Caesarean birth .

Duchess Kate arrived at the hospital early on Monday morning in the early stages of labour.

The nation must now patiently await the arrival of the highly-anticipated royal baby. It is highly unlikely that there will be any updates during the labour stages, with the first sign that the child has been born being the exit of a royal official from the Lindo wing.