There’s been a lot of chatter about Meghan Markle shaking things up within the royal family, bringing fresh ideas and modernizing traditions. But let’s not forget the original rule-breaker: Princess Diana. From the moment she stepped into the royal spotlight, Diana was all about doing things her way. She famously omitted the word "obey" from her wedding vows, sent a bold message by ditching gloves and hats during royal engagements ("How are you supposed to cuddle a child in a hat?" she once quipped), and even challenged the monarchy’s long-standing childbirth customs. Her bold choices paved the way for Kate Middleton to embrace her own style of motherhood, including where and how she gave birth.
Let’s take a trip down royal memory lane. As far back as the 1840s, royal women entered what was called "twilight sleep" during childbirth. This involved being medicated with morphine and scopolamine, leaving them pain-free but still semi-conscious. It was a method embraced by both Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth when they welcomed their children into the world, and these deliveries always took place in the comfort—or confinement—of their palace homes.
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But Diana flipped the script. Instead of following the traditional palace delivery, she chose to give birth at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, where both Prince William and Prince Harry were born. Even more groundbreaking, she decided to remain fully awake and deliver her sons in an upright position—a far cry from the tranquilized deliveries of her predecessors. Natural childbirth advocate Sheila Kitzinger recalled the moment vividly: “I suggested that Charles could help by holding Diana, and that’s exactly what happened. It was a completely different kind of royal birth, one that stood in stark contrast to the queen’s approach.”
Following in Diana’s Footsteps
Fast forward to 2013, and Kate Middleton carried on the tradition her mother-in-law began. Like Diana, Kate chose St. Mary’s Hospital as the place to welcome Prince George into the world. Later, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were also born there. By doing so, Kate not only honored Diana’s legacy but also continued the shift toward a more modern and personal approach to childbirth within the royal family.
