It's a boy! World gives royal welcome to Baby Cambridge

His Royal Highness Prince of Cambridge received a royal blue welcome Monday afternoon in London.

After nearly a half day spent in labor, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gave birth to her first child with husband Prince William in the private Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital at approximately 4:24 p.m. local time (11:24 a.m EST).

The child weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces. His birth was officially announced hours later via a press release from Kensington Palace. The baby prince's name has yet to be announced.

The crowd waiting near Buckingham Palace erupted into cheers once the news broke of the child's birth. Hundreds of fans and supporters ran up to the palace gates to hopefully catch a glimpse of the official bulletin announcing the child's birth Monday.

Prince William was in the delivery room while his wife was in labor. He and his wife traveled by car from Kensington Palace to the hospital at 7:37 a.m. (2:37 a.m. EST). He will take a two week paternity leave.

The medical team was led by Dr. Marcus Setchell, Queen Elizabeth II's former gynecologist. Assisting Dr. Setchell was the queen's current surgeon and gynecologist, Dr. Alan Farthing.

A palace spokesperson announced ahead of the child's birth the Queen's royal decree stating that Prince William and Kate Middleton's first child will be known as "His or Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess of Cambridge (the baby's name)." A change in rights of succession, regardless of the baby's gender, was implemented in April. The newborn boy is third-in-line to inherit the throne after Prince Charles, then Prince William.

The baby will become the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and head of state of 16 countries, including Britain, Canada, Australia, and in consisderation, the head of the Commonwealth, which encompasses 54 nations. Britons who are deeply rooted in their history see the baby boy as a "living link" to Britain's monarchy. The Prince of Cambridge is the great-great-great-great-great-grandchild of Queen Victoria.

Members of both families, including the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince Harry have been informed and are "delighted" with the news.

"It is an incredibly special moment for William and Catherine and we are so thrilled for them on the birth of their baby boy," Prince Charles shared in a statement. "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."

William and Kate married in a spectacle of a wedding ceremony in 2011, which attracted global audiences. While fans hoped the two would extend their family shortly after they had married, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge waited to have children until William was more settled in his work.

For Kate, the first trimester of her pregnancy was not an easy one. The Duchess was hospitalized in December with acute morning sickness.

According to the offical announcement, both mother and child are "doing well." They will remain in the hospital overnight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.