Princess Adeline, Duchess of Clarence

Chapter Fifty: The FitzClarence Twins

21st of April 2019 - St Mary's Hospital, London

It really hadn't been expected that Adeline would go into labour on the Queen's ninety-third birthday, her due date wasn't for another couple of weeks.

But the twins had decided that it was time and when Adeline had felt the twinges start at 2:45 that morning and her water breaking around half seven there was no denying that this was in fact happening.

Anne was watching Daphne and Sebastian for the day knowing that it was better that they both stay home rather than send Daphne to school when the media was in a frenzy.

It didn't take long before the press were livestreaming the doors of Lindo Wing once the announcement had been released, excited chatter filling the air as they talked about the birth of the royal twins.

Betting odds already trying to work out the genders of the twins, guessing names that might be used and discussing if Daphne and Sebastian would be coming to visit their new siblings later that day.

Leaning back in her hospital bed, Adeline rubbed her bump as she relaxed watching the news play out; Simon at her side as they waited for her labour to progress.

It was nice to see the support they had on their third labour, it hadn't dwindled at all since Daphne had been born; people always eager to celebrate a royal birth and see history in the making.

The Queen was currently at Windsor to celebrate her birthday and had expressed her warm wishes to the twins and stated that it was a wonderful birthday present to be presented with two new great grandchildren.

The hours seeming to tick on by with little happening, Adeline was comfortable and in the best care possible as far as Simon was concerned; he held his wife's hand as they waited for the news that it was time to push.

"They're not very inventive with their name guesses," Adeline noted pretty sure that the same names popped up at every royal birth these days, she liked to keep them all guessing with the names that they were choosing.

In the past, Daphne and Sebastian had been complete wild cards when it came to choosing names having not been on any list that the bookies had prepared.

This time at least one name would be on the list, it was something that they had both kept coming back to but they hadn't told anyone.

The names were a closely guarded secret, the first person that would know the names that they had chosen would be the Queen when she visited them at York House to meet the twins.

It was nice to see Terry who came out for every royal birth, he had camped outside St Mary's Hospital for fifteen days to share in the delight of the royal birth; always a present figure at such events no matter the weather.

There was no missing Terry, so often dressed in his union jack suit and hat; he was dubbed by some to be the world's biggest royal fan, a figure that could always be seen at any royal celebration in the crowd.

Adeline continued to rub her bump, chewing on her lip as she watched the television with interest; it was always interesting to watch the tension grow as they all waited for the news of the royal birth.

The hours dragging by for those outside this room that had no idea about what was happening inside; the news would be released once their families had been told about the birth.

"It looks like we're ready to start pushing," the doctor informed the couple after what felt like ages of them being trapped in this room, the labour progressing slower than last time.

Simon stood from his seat, taking Adeline's hand without any hesitation as she was finally instructed to start pushing; the two of them would soon be meeting the twins for the very first time.