IT WAS a right royal day for celebrations.

But the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were not the only proud parents welcoming a new bundle of joy into the world as the birth day of the royal princess was shared by 30 little ones in Hampshire.

According to one midwife at Princess Anne Hospital, Kate Middleton 'inspired a lot of mums to push' in what was a busy day for mums and midwives on the delivery wards across the Daily Echo area.

The first tot to share the special day was born just after midnight on Saturday May 2.

Little Leo David Dibden was born at 00:33am , weighing 7lb 1 and his dad Dan Dibden was thrilled.

He said: “I can't believe it, it's amazing and we are so happy - quite tired but it's brilliant and all worth it.

“The fact he has been born on the same day as a royal is pretty cool, our family were getting really excited because they thought it might happen because it was so close to his due date."

Leo was the first of 21 babies to be born at Southampton's Princess Anne hospital - 15 of them boys and six girls.

One of the first girls to be born was Alexia Edwards who was born at 9.37am.

She is the first daughter to Amelia Edwards, 39 from Hedge End, weighing 7lb 7ounces.

Amelia said: "It's just the most amazing feeling to be a mum for the first time. Her dad has been talking to the bump for weeks saying that she should come on the same day as the royal baby because it would be so special and I can't believe it's actually happened.

“I hope Kate is as excited as we are with our beautiful girl. It will be quite exciting to see their different journeys knowing they were born on the same day."

Daniel Sargent was born closest to the same time as the royal baby at 7.54am weighing 8lb 15 to first-time parents Eva, 29 and Fergal, 45 from Southampton.

Eva: “We had a bit of a hard time getting him here but it has all been worth it. It's funny that he has been born at the same time as a royal - it's a bit of a spooky coincidence.”

Also born on the Princess Anne labour ward was Arlo Beckett William Cox at 4.50am weighing 7lb 12 to new mum Natasha Cox, 37.

The teacher from Southampton was thrilled to give birth on the same day as the Duchess and said: “Perhaps he could be Prince Arlo, my little prince, born on the same day as a real princess. I'm just so happy and it's so exciting. Arlo has been so good and this is such a fun way to start his life.”

Valentina Burnett, midwife on the Burley ward at Princess Anne, said: “It was a really exciting day, all the mums that came in were looking out for the news and all the midwives wanted to know when the princess was born.

“It does feel very special in here with that extra bit of excitement that a royal baby has been born. Over the last couple of days everybody has been talking about it. We have been really busy but it was a great day.”

James Horan and Katie Beeson welcomed 9lbs 5 Nathaniel at Winchester's Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

Katie, 23, and James, 21 were one of five couples to become parents in Winchester with the ward welcoming two girls and three boys.

Katie said: “It's nice to have something to do with the Queen and we can't forget the princess's birthday now.”

There were also four boys born at the New Forest birthing centre in Ashurst.

  • THE Duchess of Cambridge was not the only 'Middleton' to give birth to a daughter this weekend either.

A Middleton also gave birth in Winchester - but Carrie Middleton's second daughter, Alice Elizabeth, doesn't have any royal connections - other than maybe her names.

As the nation waited for news on what Kate and William will call their little princess, Carrie and her fiancee Paul Kinnaird, of Andover, pictured below, wasted no time in naming their daughter.

Daily Echo:

Both Alice and Elizabeth were among the bookies' favourites for the new Royal princess' name.

Carrie, 36, said: "It started the midwives talking.

"They said 'ooh, there's a Middleton here - maybe she'll give birth on the same day.'

"I think she was waiting, because she was six days late.

"We're all a bit freaked out by this!"

Alice Kinnaird takes her middle name from Paul's great-grandmother and was delivered after eight hours of labour.

She weighed in at 7lb 1.