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Princess Anne started this royal birthing trend – can you guess what it is?

The Princess Royal is mum to Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall

princess anne
Sophie Hamilton
Parenting Editor
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Royalists are continually fascinated that with everything that surrounds a royal birth – form the pregnancy, to the hospital chosen for the special occasion and even the outfit worn by the new mother when she presents her newborn to the world.

It's commonly thought that the late Princess Diana was the first royal to give birth at the now-famous private Lindo Wing of London's St Mary's Hospital, but another royal actually started this very fashionable trend.

The Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, or the Princess Royal as she is also known, was the first royal lady to have her baby at the now prestigious location.

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Anne and her former husband Captain Mark Phillips, welcomed their first child, Peter Mark Andrew Phillips, there on 15 November 1977.

princess anne peter

Princess Anne leaves the Lindo Wing after welcoming her first child

According to BBC's On This Day, Princess Anne was driven to the hospital in Paddington at 4am by her then-husband and Peter was born less than six hours later in the Lindo Wing, arriving at 10.46am weighing 7lb 9oz. The couple decided not to give their son a royal title.

Then, on 15 May 1981, the family welcomed a little girl, Zara Anne Elizabeth, who like her older brother, also received no title.

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Anne proudly debuts her daughter Zara

The Princess smiled for photographers on the steps of the Lindo Wing, cradling her baby girl as she left for home. It was the first time a royal was photographed with their baby on these now-iconic steps.

princess anne baby

The famous Lindon Wing steps

Since that day, other royal ladies have given birth in the same private hospital wing and posed on the steps just as Anne did.

In 1982 and 1984 respectively, Prince Charles and Princess Diana showed off Prince William and then Prince Harry to the world following their births.

pricness diana

Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their firstborn, William

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also welcomed their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis at the Lindo Wing. In fact, when the couple welcomed their third child, Prince Louis, they presented the newborn Prince to the world just seven hours after birth!

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William and Kate with their baby boy Prince George

The steps of the Lindo Wing have certainly seen some memorable royal moments and we predict there are many more to come.

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