There’s no doubt that the Duke and Duchess  would have wanted her support as they introduced their boy to the world last night.

So it’s no surprise that many saw Kate’s  polka dot Jenny Packham dress as a subtle tribute to Princess Diana who wore a  green spotted outfit as she left the same hospital with Prince William in  1982.

But the comparisons ended there.

2013: The Duchess of Cambridge in her blue polka dot  Jenny Packham dress outside St Mary’s yesterday

1982: Diana, Princess of Wales in the same spot with her  similar, but rather roomier, green outfit

Diana chose to cover up her figure in the  billowing dress with a large collar.

Kate on the other hand stepped out of the  Lindo Wing of St Mary’s proudly showing off her bump in the simple empire-line  shift.

And while Kate was a picture of calm, Diana  reportedly burst into tears as they drove away from the hospital.

Indeed last night’s scenes seemed to be much  more relaxed compared with 1982.

Marking the formality of the occasion, Prince  Charles wore a shirt and tie and buttoned-up jacket.

Yesterday his son cut a much more relaxed  figure  in a smart blue and white pinstripe shirt which he wore unbuttoned  at the neck and with his sleeves rolled up to the elbow.

Kate, holding the baby close to her wrapped  in a white blanket, looked radiant as she posed with William for the historic  shot.

As one of the most scrutinised women in the  world – and at this most high profile of moments with all the world watching –  Kate would have laboured (no pun intended) over her outfit choice today.

In the event, she chose the crepe de chine  polka dot dress by Jenny Packham – a designer she has turned to on multiple  occasions for public events – which was made bespoke for her.

Beaming: The couple looked to have taken to parenthood  naturally as they made a very relaxed first appearance outside the private Lindo  Wing at St Mary’s hospital around 7.30pm today

Lighthearted: William had changed the first nappy, Kate  told us, as she brushed off a compliment from Wills that the baby had her  looks

Taking it all in: The two pause for a moment at the  bottom of the steps, taking in the crowds – to whom William later apologised for  keeping waiting so long

Radiant: Kate, and indeed William, looked delighted as  they introduced baby Cambridge to the world. Kate chose a bespoke dress by Jenny  Packham for the appearance

The cornflower blue was a nod, no doubt, to  her baby’s gender – the same gesture made by her mother during her own visit  earlier in the day.

Kate cradled the baby as she stood alongside  William, her husband wrapping a protective arm around her waist before taking  the infant into his own arms.

‘We’re still working on a name,’ William told  the assembled Press, adding it had been ‘very emotional’.

‘He’s got her looks,’ he joked, as the  Duchess shook her head, smiling, saying ‘I’m not sure about that.’

The duke alluded to the fact that the new  parents had been kept up by their newborn on their first night, saying, ‘he’s  got a good pair of lungs on him that’s for sure.

‘He’s a big boy, he’s quite heavy,’ he added.

Jubilant: Kate and Wills joined in with the elevated  mood of the day, joking around outside the hospital. The Royals are set to  celebrate the births of other babies born on the same day by sending them a  silver coin

Bouncing baby boy: Their son had a ‘good set of lungs’  and was a ‘big boy, quite heavy,’ said William

 

Historic: Many said they would have preferred a girl  because it would have had more historic significance given the recent change to  the succession laws. But ultimately, public opinion has proved to be as  delighted as Kate and Wills with news of a boy

Public interest: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had  looked at the newspapers this morning and said they were ‘aware’ of the global  media interest

What a send off! The Duchess of Cambridge gets into the  backseat next to her baby as Wills drives them home to the deafening cheers of  the crowds

We’re still working on a name so we’ll have  that as soon as we can, but it’s the first time we’ve seen him really, so we’re  having a proper chance to catch up.’

Kate said the experience had been ‘very  emotional.

‘It’s such a special time, I think any parent  can probably understand what that feeling feels like.’

The Duke of Cambridge added: ‘It’s very  special.’

He joked he would tease his son for arriving  late.

‘I’ll remind him of his tardiness when he’s  older – I know you guys have been out here a long time,’ he said. ‘Hopefully the hospital and you guys can get back to  normal and we can go and look after him.’

Showing the sense of humour that has endeared  the two to the world, William poked fun at his thinning hairline, saying: “He’s  got way more than me, thank God.’

The two then disappeared back into the Lindo  Wing to strap their baby into the car seat before they got into their waiting  Range Rover to head to the Palace.

William drove his wife and baby away from the  hospital – William drawing his hand across his brow in a sign of mock relief at  successfully attaching the car seat into the back of the car as the world’s  media watched.

Happy moment: Kate beamed from ear to ear – though is  was possible to detect a touch of tiredness in her eyes – something the prince  alluded to when he said the baby had ‘a good set of lungs’

Easy does it! Kate steps gingerly down the stairs of the  private Lindo Wing holding her ‘big’ baby

The Palace confirmed the duke had indeed been  practicing installing the car seat so that he could make a smooth getaway.

Kate’s glamorous appearance was not thanks  not only to the glow of new  motherhood, of course – though there’s no doubt  that played a large part.

The duchess’s bouncy blowdry was the work of her hairstylist Amanda Cook Taylor, the Royal hairdresser who accompanied the  Duke and Duchess on their Far Eastern trip in September last  year.

The emotional scene that echoed William’s own  departure from the same hospital when he was held in the arms of first Charles  and then Diana when they departed from St Mary’s in 1982.

This time though it played out in a far more  relaxed fashion.

Cherished: Kate cradles the as yet unnamed Baby  Cambridge, who was born weighing 8lbs 6oz at 4.24pm yesterday – and the little  infant gives a Royal wave

Popular: Kate and William received thousands of messages  of goodwill from around the world, and crowds cheered from outside the hospital  and at Kensington Palace where they had gathered to await the couple

Then, Diana – who also wore a polka  dot  dress for her first appearance post-birth – was said to be utterly  overawed by  the moment and, as soon as the car pulled away and she disappeared from view,  burst  into tears.

Royal  watchers speculated that composed  Kate’s reaction will be a lot more  measured – and, indeed, it was. She looked  relaxed and happy – if a  touch tired – after her first night as a  mother.

The Palace confirmed that Kate was doing well  following the birth of her  8lb 6oz son at just before half past four yesterday  afternoon.

Gesture to their baby boy: Both the Duke and Duchess of  Cambridge wore blue – as a nod to their newborn’s gender?

Dab hand: Brave Wills seemed undaunted that he had to  fix the car seat into the Range Rover while thousands of lenses were trained  upon him – and  carried out the task with aplomb, leading to speculation he had  practised in private beforehand

Beginning of a new journey: William drives his wife and  their newborn son off to Kensington Palace as the nurses who helped with the  delivery wave the royal pair off

But while this was an incredibly exciting  moment for the hordes outside the hospital, some of whom had been waiting day  and night outside for up to a month, there was to be no neat conclusion to the  saga of the Royal birth.

William told waiting reporters that the final  cherry on the cake – our future King’s name – was not to be revealed tonight.

For that we will have to wait. How  long is  unknown. When Prince William was born, the public had to wait  seven days before  his name was announced.

Prince Harry’s was announced within  24  hours, while the Queen let the public wait an agonising month before  she  announced Charles’ name in 1948.

The Queen said at a Buckingham Palace  reception today that she is ‘thrilled’ at the birth of her  great-grandson.

First visitors: Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton  at St Mary’s Hospital at around 3pm today

Glamorous: Camilla was once criticised for her dowdy  style, but in the years since her marriage to Prince Charles has blossomed into  a truly elegant  consort

The clue that Kate and William were to leave the  hospital today: A Royal aide arrived at around 2pm today carrying a suitcase and  a selection of dresses hidden beneath a protective sheet

HOW THE OTHER ROYAL BABIES MET  THE WORLD: A look at the moment William, Harry and the rest of the Royals posed  outside the hospital

• Prince Charles was the first royal to insist  his children were born hospital
• Previously royal babies born in palaces,  unless there were medical issues
• Charles was also the first royal male to be  present at the birth
• Today it is expected that Prince William and  Kate will leave St Mary’s hospital

William is following in the trailblazing  footsteps of his father when it comes to the birth of his first  child.

Charles broke with the long standing  tradition of royal births being kept both  intensely private and totally removed  from involvement of the father.

By encouraging Diana to give birth in  hospital rather than in one of the  royal palaces, and remaining by her side  during the birth, Charles set a modern precedent for the family.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana pose holding baby  Prince Harry on 16 September 1984, again outside the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s  HospitalThe photographs taken on the steps of St  Mary’s hospital as the young royal couple left the private Lindo  Wing holding  their young son have become iconic.

Now we see a touching repeat of history as  William and Kate introduce their first born son to the waiting media in a  similar manner.

While their privacy was carefully protected  within the hospital walls, this  modern trend for royal hospital births means  that the first pictures of new members  of the royal family are usually on the  front steps as they leave the  hospital for the first time.

In contrast, Queen Elizabeth was born at her  private family home, 17 Bruton Street in London, and gave birth to her sons  Charles, Andrew and Edward in Buckingham Palace and Princess Anne at  Clarence  House.

Prince Charles broke with the Royal tradition  by attending both hospital births of William and Harry.

Previous royal births had happened in the  Palaces, with the father not present at the actual delivery.

 

Sarah Duchess of York and Prince Andrew with new baby  daughter Princess Beatrice leaving Portland Hospital in 1988In a letter he wrote to his  godmother,  Patricia Brabourne, Prince Charles expressed his joy at  having been present at  the birth of his sons, saying: ‘I am so thankful I was beside Diana’s bedside  the whole time because by the end of the day I really felt as though I’d shared  deeply in the process of birth.’

When Princes Charles himself was  born,  Prince Phillip was reported off playing squash in the palace, and  not by the  Queen’s side.

Last night a delighted Charles said:  ‘Both  my wife and I are overjoyed at the arrival of my first grandchild. It is an  incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for  them on the birth of their baby boy,’ he said.

The clearly overwhelmed prince added:  ‘Grandparenthood is a unique moment in anyone’s life, as countless kind people  have told me in recent months, so I am enormously proud and  happy to be a  grandfather for the first time and we are eagerly looking  forward to seeing the  baby in the near future.’

In its official statement Kensington  Palace  said : ‘Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely  delivered of a  son at 4.24pm.

‘The baby weighs 8lbs 6oz.

‘The Duke of Cambridge was present for the  birth.’

 

The Duke & Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson show off  their second daughter Princess Eugenie to the waiting public and press in 1990

 

Prince Edward and wife Sophie, The Earl and Countess of  Wessex, leave Frimley Park Hospital after Sophie gave birth to the couple’s  second child James by caesarean section

 

Wrapped in a white shawl against the bitter cold,  Princess Anne’s two-day-old son Peter is given a smiling send-off by nurses and  other well-wishers as he leaves the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital

 

A smiling Princess Anne leaves the private Lindo wing of  St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, with her new born baby daughter Zara on May 19  1981

Read more: DailyMail