THE world has been waiting for weeks for the Duchess of Cambridge to give birth so perhaps it wasn't surprising that even after going into labour and being admitted to St Mary's Hospital in London Kate wasn't about to be rushed.
Royal watchers around the world were sent into a frenzy on Monday morning UK time when Kensington Palace announced the Duchess had finally entered labour.
But that just meant the first phase of what the British press have dubbed The Great Kate Wait was over.
Well-wishers were quick to gather outside the Lindo Wing and Buckingham Palace but then slowly realised it could still be many hours - and possibly even days - before they heard further news.
When asked to explain why they have come to wait for the Duchess of Cambridge to give birth, people generally give one of two answers.
Either they are in love with Kate and her husband Prince William - the "modern royals" - or they simply want to be part of history.
The first hint the Duchess has actually given birth will come when a royal aide emerges from the hospital with a signed bulletin carrying the Buckingham Palace letterhead.
It will be driven to the palace and posted on an easel in public view.
In front of the palace gates on Monday afternoon sisters Sue and Pauline, on holiday from New Zealand and Australia respectively, were clad in their national flags on Monday afternoon.
"My sister always thought it was going to be born on Monday so we were ready to come down," Sue told AAP.
"We're happy to stay here and we're hoping to see the easel. Hopefully it's not after midnight (9am Sydney time) though. I don't think it can be too far away now. She went in at 6am didn't she?"
Across town at the Lindo, New Zealander Evelyn Clarke said the world had gone royal baby crazy principally because Kate was so great.
But by early Monday afternoon her commitment to stick it out in the sun was wavering. The UK is officially in the grip of a heatwave.
"I reckon I've just about had it," Ms Clarke, camera in hand, told AAP.
"Everyone is quite tense with the anxiety of waiting for something to happen.
"Everyone wants to be there at the right moment."
The Duchess has said she wants a natural birth and a few hours after arriving at St Mary's a Kensington Palace spokesman said things were "progressing as normal".
There have been no updates since.
William took annual leave last week to be with his wife but is now on two weeks' paternity leave from his job as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
The Duke and Duchess are expected to pose for the first photographs with the royal baby on the steps outside the Lindo Wing.
It will be reminiscent of the scene three decades ago when Princess Diana stood holding the infant Duke alongside husband Prince Charles.
The Prince of Wales, who will become a grandfather for the first time when Kate's baby is born, was quizzed about the birth on Monday.
But he insisted he, just like everyone else, knew "absolutely nothing".
"We're waiting," Prince Charles said. The Queen has been informed Kate's in labour.
She returned to Buckingham Palace on Monday afternoon after spending the weekend at Windsor Castle.
British Prime Minister David Cameron wished the royal couple well saying "the whole country is excited with them".
The Duchess is being tended by a top medical team led by the Queen's gynaecologist Marcus Setchell. Assisting him is Alan Farthing who is gynaecologist to the royal household.
Carly Gargett, 31, an event manager from Sydney who lives in London, visited the hospital on her way to work.
But she admitted on Monday: "I don't think I'll be doing a lot of work today."
"I have the royal baby cam live feed to my phone - I am so excited," the Australian said.
Terry Hutt, 78, has become semi-famous after camping outside the Lindo Wing for 12 days dressed in a Union Jack suit.
He's slept on a park bench opposite St Mary's while the public and police have supplied him with sandwiches.
But 12 hours after Kate was admitted to the hospital Mr Hutt was down to Union Jack board shirts and T-shirt.
Like the world's media gathered in Paddington one of his most pressing problems was finding a power-point in the nearby Starbucks to recharge his mobile.
"I think my wife has called," he said.
The 78-year-old was in his makeshift bed on Monday morning when Kate and her husband arrived at the hospital around 6am.
He was subsequently woken by "thunder and lightning" - although there was no rain - and then heard the news.
"From heaven they let us know," he told AAP.
Back on earth the world continues to watch as The Great Kate Wait continues.
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