Nothing like tradition! Longtime Town Crier Tony Appleton was on the scene outside of St. Mary’s Hospital in London on Saturday, May 2, to make his special announcement that Kate Middleton and Prince William welcomed a new baby girl, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.
At 11:19 a.m. local time in the UK, the 80-year-old toastmaster, who is the president of the Guild of International Millennium Town Criers, announced the birth of the princess and, in the traditional cry, called on locals to come outside and “wet the baby’s head,” or toast to the royal baby.
On site in London, Us Weekly caught up with Appleton about the big announcement.
“I wrote to William and Kate about six months and asked them if I could announce the baby and heard from them right away,” Appleton, who was previously on hand for the birth of Prince George, tells Us of the Duke, 32, and Duchess, 33. “The last time for George I just showed up but this time they were expecting me. They said they’d be honored if I came here. I’ve been doing this for 25 years.”
“I’m happy for George that he has a sister,” Appleton continued of the prince, who is approaching his second birthday. “I knew he was going to get a sister. A little princess, how wonderful! England needs a little princess, especially with all this election nonsense! Knock all these politicians out of the way. Some happy news is what this world needs.”
“This is a great tradition,” he added to Us. “The town crier came here in 1066. The papers didn’t know the news so the town crier was employed by the king to announce the news. He was protected by the king, [so] if anyone came near him they’d chop his head off! That’s why I had to come here today — to announce it. Not on Twitter! As British tradition suggests!”
Us Weekly is on the scene outside St. Mary’s Hospital in London — check out the exclusive royal baby livestream and check back often for ongoing updates on all things royal baby!
