Good news story

The Washington Post has described the child of the popular royal couple who married in April 2011 in front of a global TV audience of two billion as the "world's most famous baby".

"For us it's nice to be at the front seat of any historic moment," Francis D'Souza, a TV anchor and reporter from CityNews in Toronto, told Reuters.

"Canadians love the royals and ... especially love this couple. They're not old and stodgy and stuffy. Before this we were in Calgary, where people had lost everything in the floods. Here the tears are happiness."

To celebrate the baby's arrival, the city of Toronto has announced plans to light up its CN Tower in pink or blue depending on the sex of the royal baby as has Niagara Falls.

The gender of the baby, who will displace Prince Harry as third to the throne behind grandfather Charles and father William, is said to be unknown as the couple want a surprise.

But bookmakers expect a girl and have made Alexandra the favourite for the baby's name, followed by Charlotte, Diana and Elizabeth. George and James are hotly tipped if it is a boy.

Prince William, a helicopter search-and-rescue pilot, is on standby to join Kate for the birth at the hospital where he was born to the late Princess Diana 31 years ago. The baby will be future heir regardless of sex.

The birth will be announced in the traditional way with an envelope containing the baby's details taken from the hospital to Buckingham Palace, where the news will be posted outside.