The late Queen’s daughter, Princess Anne, was a trailblazing royal as she was one of the first royal mothers to break the tradition of home birth – delivering both of her children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London.
Royal home births were originally part of a long line of traditions that saw royal ladies go into ‘hiding’ in the late stages of their pregnancy, as birth was seen as a strictly private experience.
However, after Princess Anne’s hospital births, the late Princess Diana, and more royal mothers followed suit, also opting for hospital births.
Princess Anne’s birth of Peter Phillips
The Princess Royal’s eldest child, Peter Phillips, was born at 10:46 am on 15 November 1977, in the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital.
According to BBC’s On This Day, Princess Anne was driven to the hospital in Paddington at 4 am by her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips and Peter was born less than six hours later in the Lindo Wing, weighing 7lb 9oz.
Princess Anne’s birth of Zara Tindall
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips’ daughter, Zara Anne Elizabeth, was born in May 1981 at St Mary’s Hospital Lindo Wing.
Following her daughter’s birth, the Princess smiled for photographers on the steps of the Lindo Wing, cradling her baby girl as she left for home. It was the first time a royal was photographed with their baby on these now-iconic steps.
