No new parents ever forget the day their little prince or princess arrives – but very few actually share that day with real royalty.
Kelly and James Grundy, of Ladbrook Close, Elmsett, became parents for the second time with the arrival of their little bundle of joy Tobias weighing 7lb 11oz at 5.54am.
Later that afternoon as Tobias happily slept on the ward, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge celebrated the arrival of their baby boy, who weighed in at 8lb 6oz, at 4.24pm.
Beaming parents Mr and Mrs Grundy are already mum and dad to four-year-old daughter Ivy.
Mr Grundy, 35, said: “It certainly adds a bit of novelty to our son’s birth.
“We had been thinking for the past few weeks it might happen but you shrug it off and think ‘probably not’ but obviously his birth did coincide with the royal baby.
“And we get our commemorative penny to boot as well.”
Mrs Grundy, 28, opted for a home birth and went into labour on Sunday at 10pm.
Her husband added: “We called Ipswich Hospital at 3.30am and two midwives came out to us. The first arrived at 4.15am and the other about half an hour later.
“It didn’t take too much longer for our boy to arrive.”
The arrival of a baby boy was extra special for Mrs Grundy’s parents, who live in America.
Mr Grundy added: “Kelly is American and her parents can’t come and visit very easily but they are so pleased, particularly her dad.
“He is one of four with three sisters and is dad to Kelly and her sister so he never had a boy in the family.”
Ten babies – six girls and four boys – were born at Ipswich Hospital on Monday, as well as little Tobias Grundy, who was born at home making a grand total of 11.
Haverhill couple Kelly Griffin and Glenn Ditchman have spoken of their surprise and shock on hearing their baby girl and the Royal baby were born only 43 minutes apart.
Miss Griffin, 23, gave birth to Darcie, weighing 6lb 8oz, at 3.41pm at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds following a 12-hour labour.
Darcie’s father, Mr Ditchman, 29, said: “It’s not every day your child is born at the same time as the future king.
“It’s quite a special moment, I suppose.”
In north Essex, 11 babies were born at the Colchester, Harwich and Clacton maternity units on Monday.
Kathryn O’Flanagan, 42, from Earls Colne, gave birth to her first baby Martha, who weighed 5lb 11oz, at 9.52am.
She said: “I went in for an elective Caesarean, so knew my baby would arrive on Monday.
“We saw the news that Kate was in labour on the BBC news and wondered whether our baby would share the same birthday with the royal baby.
“There were a few new mums on the ward and there was a special atmosphere because of the occasion.”
For Kelly-Marie Bennett, 20, from Clacton, the arrival of her new son Riley weighing 8lb1oz was a wonderful surprise.
She said: “When I found out Kate was pregnant I wondered whether I’d have a child on the same day as her and it’s wonderful that it has turned out that way.”
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