Marcus Setchell And Alan Farthing: The Royal Baby Doctors Delivering Kate And William's Baby

Marcus Setchell And Alan Farthing: The Royal Baby Doctors Delivering Kate And William's Baby

Marcus Setchell and Alan Farthing are the two gynaecologists present during the birth of Prince William and Kate's baby.

They have both played key roles throughout the pregnancy and Mr Setchell will take the lead, assisted by Mr Farthing. Mr Setchell has said he has avoided all alcohol for the past month in readiness for the birth.

The Duchess of Cambridge will give birth at the newly refurbished Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, Central London - the same hospital where Princes William and Harry, and their cousins Peter and Zara Phillips were born.

There are individual birthing rooms and a birthing pool. Each room boasts satellite TV, radio, internet access, daily newspapers and, of course, air conditioning.

The bill for delivery is staggered per 24 hours –with a quick, natural birth costing £4,965. Staying in a suite. as the Duchess is believed to be, will cost an additional £1,000 plus per night on top of that, meaning the delivery could cost up to £10,000.

Consultant Mr Farthing, 47, was engaged to Jill Dando, the Crime Watch presenter who was murdered on her doorstep in 1999, five months before they were due to be married.

This is the first royal pregnancy since Mr Farthing's appointment in 2008.

Mr Setchell, 69, treated Kate for her severe morning sickness last December.

Mr Setchell has been a royal surgeon-gynaecologist for 18 years. He cared for Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, delivering her two babies, Lady Louise Windsor, now nine, and James, Viscount Severn, four.

Louise was born six weeks prematurely in 2003 by emergency Caesarean Section at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey after Sophie suffered from placental abruption, when the placenta separates from the uterus. Mr Setchell had also led her medical care following her ectopic pregnancy in 2001.

He performed the Duchess of Cornwall's hysterectomy in 2007 at the King Edward VII Hospital, the same hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for her morning sickness.

In recognition of his work, Mr Setchell was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by the Queen in 2004.

Mr Farthing, who has one two-year-old son, has his own private Harley Street practice and works as a consultant at two teaching hospitals in London, Queen Charlotte's in Shepherd's Bush and St Mary's.

Prince William and his brother Harry were delivered by Mr Setchell's predecessor, the late Sir George Pinker, who delivered nine royal babies between 1973 and 1990.

The Parentdish editor's twins were under the care of Marcus Setchell at Homerton Hospital in Hackney. So there's our dubious claim to fame.

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