It's a boy!

So, London is a bit crazy with the news that Kate and Wills have welcomed Prince Yet-To-Be-Named into the world.  I loved it that he arrived on the feast of St. Mary Magdalene (July 22).  At any rate, they posted the birth announcement in front of the palace and the crowds waiting to see it, along with those waiting to see the changing of the guard ceremony were huge.  We couldn't get near the board where the announcement was posted.....I only got a distant peek at it.  But, we were in luck, because we were walking in Green Park just as the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery guys (in old school uniforms) arrived with their cannons for the 41 gun salute.  Yes, indeed.  41 huge cannon blasts.  Ouch.  They arrived, set up rapidly, fired away and were gone, gone, gone....just like that.

I thought it would be only tourists who were over at Buckingham----but there were lots of Brits there.  Lots and lots of media doing live coverage----we saw several news anchors we had seen on the morning news across from the palace doing continuous live coverage.  I'm sure that we looked like all those clueless people you see in a live shot behind the media line.....we resisted the impulse to wave...

So, London!

Photos:

1.  Victoria memorial and Buckingham palace from mid-way down the Mall

2.  Marching

3.  Still marching...

4.  41 gun salute in Green Park

5.  The Royal Birth Announcement (it's in the center of the photo, just inside the gate.  Look for the gold stand to the left of the music stands....that was as close as I could get!

6.  Sky News anchors

7.  Buckingham Palace

8.  Big Ben (from the Millennium Bridge)