The birth of the new Danish prince

The birth of the new prince to Princess Marie and Prince Joachim, which was at 4:57am, had gone to plan, which is to say a normal labour and natural birth without complications, although Princess Marie did have an epidural block. The baby is 3.032 kg and 49 cm and both mother and child are described as well. Princess Marie and Prince Joachim arrived late yesterday evening at Copenhagen's University Hospital maternity ward when labour pains began (see pic Joachim's car parked during the night outside the maternity ward below). Marie's due date was given as May 16th when the pregnancy announcement was made by the court but it is a bit of a convention to give an 'outside date' with an earlier delivery. One of the journalists asked who the boy resembles and Prince Joachim answered simply that the baby resembles a new-born boy. For Joachim, who is now a father for the third time, he said that "it is just moving - just touching every time".

Bookmakers are apparently laying odds on the little prince being called Albert (see story below)

Billed Bladet's Jon Bloch Skipper (royal historian) says Denmark's new prince can will be called Albert Marie Holger Frederik. Berlingske Tidende also suggests the same name

Friends Oscar and Britt Siesbye arrived at the University Hospital looking in high spirits to congratulate Prince Joachim and Princess Marie and took a gift of some of Ida Davidsen's famous open sandwiches six hours after the birth

Marie's father Alain Cavallier has arrived to visit his daughter and new grandson, according to Billed Bladet. Marie's father arrived with Joachim's private secretary Kurt Bache at Rigshospitalet and said he is very happy and eagerly looks forward to seeing the little baby

Prince Nikolai went to Krebs School as usual this morning, picked up by a friend's father, while Martin Jørgensen took a happy loooking Prince Felix to his class at Krebs

Prince Joachim called around to family and friends himself to give the news. Mary was congratulated on being an aunt by journalists. She said she is very happy but will not be at the hospital during today, she has three events scheduled and Crown Prince Frederik has one too, so they are likely to visit later

Prince Henrik has just arrived at the hospital with Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix - 4pm. Berlingske Tidende reports Prince Henrik saying the whole family is very happy and Prince Nikolai admitted he was a bit tense. Queen Margrethe has not yet visited as she is receiving the retiring Secretary General of NATO at Amalienborg

Gun salutes have been fired at Copenhagen's Sixtus Battery, at Kronborg Castle and in Aabenraa, Politiken reports

Many Danes are flying the flag and the Dannebrog went up early at Schackenborg Castle, the Jylland estate of Marie and Joachim and the new little prince. A stork has been installed in the Schackenborg garden recently in anticipation of the birth too

The mayor of Tønder municipality where Schackenborg is located has expressed happiness at the safe delivery and looks forward to the 'new life' in Tønder

Photos © Uffe Weng/B.T., Martin Høien/Billed Bladet, Nanna Kreutzmann/POLFOTO/Fyens.dk, Mikkel Møller Jørgensen/Berlingske Tidende, Jeppe Michael Jensen/Berlingske Tidende, Liselotte Sabroe/Berlingske Tidende, Bax Lindhardt/Berlingske Tidende, Jens Dige/POLFOTO/Politiken

Press release from the Chamberlain to Joachim and Marie, Kurt Bache:
A Prince is born
Amalienborg Palace, May 4, 2009
On Monday May 4, 2009 at 4.57 am Her Royal Highness Princess Marie gave birth to a healthy son at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen (Copenhagen University Hospital).
Weight: 3032 grs., length: 49 cm.
Mother and baby are doing fine.
His Royal Highness Prince Joachim was present at Rigshospitalet all the time.
Kurt Bache
Chamberlain, Colonel, Private Secretary
T.R.H. Prince Joachim and Princess Marie's Household

Press release:
The birth of a Royal Child
Amalienborg Palace, May 4, 2009
Throughout history, the birth of a Royal Child has been accompanied by traditions and official celebration. Today, the birth of a Royal Child is celebrated by gun salutes, and public authorities will fly the Danish flag, etc.
Salutes
After Her Royal Highness Princess Marie has given birth to a child, salutes will be fired from the Battery Sixtus on Holmen in Copenhagen and from Kronborg Castle at Helsingør. The four cannons used at the Battery Sixtus date back to 1944. They are operated by Navy personnel. The 17 cannons used at Kronborg Castle date back to 1766-1769. They are operated by gunners from the Army. In both places, black powder will be used.
Both Battery Sixtus and Kronborg Castle will fire 21-gun salutes. If the Princess gives birth before 12 noon, salutes will be fired the same day at 12 noon. If the Princess gives birth after 12 noon, the 21 shots will be fired the following day at 12 noon.
Cannon salutes have been used as a signal to announce great events throughout history. At the time of the Vikings, special signals in the form of beacons were used to announce important events.
Flying the Danish flag
Official Denmark celebrates the birthdays of specific members of the Royal Family by flying the Danish flag. This is also the case in connection with the birth of a Royal Child. If the Princess gives birth before 12 noon, flags will fly the same day from 12 noon. If the Princess gives birth after 12 noon, flags will fly the following day...(see remainder of the press release for blue gala uniform details for the Royal Danish Life Guards.)

Some reactions:
Avisen.dk had earlier reported Princess Marie's arrival at hospital with the court's public relations manager, Lene Balleby confirming Prince Joachim drove the princess himself early in the evening. BilledBladet's Trine Larsen told TV2 news the princess had been experiencing labour pains for a while.
DR.dk 'Tillykke fra Løkke - og de andre' - Congratulations from Løkke - and the others
Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wishes Princess Marie and Prince Joachim congratulations on the birth of the little prince.
"On the government's behalf I'd like to wish Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim and the entire royal family a big congratulations," the prime minister said in a press release.
"All of Denmark is happy at the event," it says.
The conservative party leader, deputy prime minister Lene Espersen, also sends her congratulations to the new royal parents.
"It's a big event for all of Denmark with news of a new little member of the Royal Family. But it's first of all a happy event for the prince and the princess to have become parents to a lovely little boy, and for Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai to have a little brother. We wish all the best to Prince Joachim, Princess Marie and their family," says Lene Espersen in a press release.
The Danish People's Party also says it is a big day.
The party leader, Pia Kjærsgaard, sends warmest congratulations to Prince Joachim and Princess Marie and the whole royal house. "In the Danish People's Party we wish the new parents a big congratulations with the new little prince and bid him a hearty welcome. It's a great, happy event for the royal family and for the whole country, and it's very fine that the little prince has chosen a historical day to be born - the day of liberation evening," Pia Kjærsgaard says.
DR.dk 'Psykolog til prinseparret: Kommunikér' - The psychologist to the prince couple: Communicate
With the birth early this morning of the new boy prince, Prins Joachim now has children with two different women.
That means that he has to relate to the the children's mothers very well, who may have different positions on everything from how the children dress to what they must and musn't do.
There's hard work ahead according to Renate Sommerstad, a registered psychologist who frequently works with blended families in her practice, Prince Joachim has to prepare for what it is to suddenly have children in different places.
"Prince Joachim now has a completely new family composition. That means that he and Princess Marie have to put the work gloves on, so that the things will work between the families. They need to be good at communicating and backing out if there is something problematic, because otherwise one frustration after another means it can become quite difficult," says Renate Sommerstad.
"Allow the boys to create bonds immediately, it's important that the prince couple understands how to bring the three small princes together, even though they have different mothers. It's important that the prince couple give the two bigger boys room to get to know the new little brother in their won time and way. And not least, listen to what they say," emphasises Renate Sommerstad, "because otherwise there is a risk of jealous feelings towards the little one," she continues.
"Patience is the road forward. After all, there are many Danish families that live with children in multiple homes. The best Prince Joachim and Princess Marie can do is to prepare from the start. They are to be patient, open to input and most importantly of all, communicate. They will then do well because it's a wonderful gift they just got," Renate Sommerstad says.
Joachim has two boys, Prince Nikolai, 9, and Prince Felix, 7, who he had with Countess Alexandra during their ten year marriage.
In May last year Prince Joachim was married for the second time and has now got a child with Marie Cavallier.

TV2 'Bookmaker satser på prins Albert' - Bookmaker gambles on Prince Albert
What is the child to be called?
It's now the great question after Prince Joachim and Princess Marie became parents to a boy this morning.
The bookmaking company Unibet gives the lowest odds that the child will be called Albert as a first name.
That gives a payout 50 to one if the prince is baptized Albert Marie Holger Frederik, while Waldemar Holger André Christian will give odds 100 to one.
Each of the royal grandchildren of Queen Margrethe have four names.
One of the names Christian, Frederik or Joachim will probably be included.
Marie's French ancestors will also likely be represented in the name.
Marie's father is called Alain Cavallier, so that maybe Alain will be in in the name.
Seven out of ten users on news.tv2.dk thought that it'd would be a girl when we did a quick poll when it emerged that Marie was pregnant.
It can also be mentioned that it gives the money 250 to 1 the prince will be called Nebukadnezer and just 25 to 1 he will be named Børge.

Billed Bladet 'Maries far er ankommet til Riget' - Marie's father has arrived at the hospital
04 May 2009 | Jan Bergman
Prinsesse Marie's father, Alain Cavallier, became a maternal grandfather when Denmark's little new prince was born.
Now he has come to the maternity ward in order to see his grandchild.
Alain Cavallier had scarecely woken when he received the message that his daughter had given birth to a healthy son.
Alain therefore hurried to Copenhagen and already landed at 1pm on an SAS flight from Paris.
He went directly to University Hospital where he had to see both his daughter and his first grandchild.
"I am very happy and look forward fantastically to seeing the little baby," said the happy, new maternal grandfather.

Billed Bladet 'Marie, Joachim og den ny prins fik besøg' - Marie, Joachim and the new prince have visitors
04 May 2009 | Jan Bergman
Denmark's new prince is scarcely six hours old and has already got visitors - Joachim's and Marie's close friends Oscar Siesbye and his wife Britt, have visited Rigshospitalet.
Princess Marie and Prince Joachim have hardly had time to rest their eyes since the the birth and now friends have started to visit the hospital to congratulate the couple on their little new prince.
And naturally Britt and Oscar Siesbye brought a little tempatation for the palate in the form of open sandwiches from Oscar's mother, Ida Davidsen's famous business in St. Kongensgade.
Ekstra Bladet 'Joachim ringede til tante Mary' - Joachim called Aunt Mary
Crown Princess Mary is happy about her new nephew, whom she still hasn't still seen.
Joachim himself called round and told the happy news.
"Thank you so much," Mary smiled, when ekstrabladet.dk wished her congratulations with the little new nephew.
The Crown Princess hasn't yet had time for a visit at the University Hospital of Copenhagen since she was in Næstved this morning to name a tulip at Gavnø Slot, and has just now arrived at the State Museum for Art to participate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' and the UN's Population Fund's event "The art to save a mother".
But both she and husband Crown Prince Frederik are expected to hit the road for the maternity ward later today.
The Crown Princess didn't have a lot of time for talk before the event at Statens Museum for art, but she however managed to report how she got the good news.
"I really got it from my brother-in-law," she says to ekstrabladet.dk

Politiken
Associated Press
ABC Online
Brisbane Times
The Copenhagen Post
The Huffington Post
Politiken (English)
Monsters & Critics

Hello magazine 'It's a boy for Princess Marie and Prince Joachim of Denmark'
20 minuten.ch - the news in Switzerland (German)
ABC.es 'Marie de Dinamarca ha dado a luz a su primer hijo'
¡Hola! 'Marie de Dinamarca ha dado a luz a su primer hijo'

Fyens.dk gallery
Billed Bladet gallery

JP.TV - Jyllands Posten clip of the news conference this morning (05:16)
JV webTV (03:12) - the press conference with the medical team, Morten Hedegaard, Consultant at Rigshospitalet, Birgitte Hillerup, midwife and Peter Damm, Professor
EB.TV (02:20) Marie's father Alain Cavallier arriving
EB.TV (01:22) - Prince Henrik arriving to visit with Princes Nikolai and Felix