Second royal baby: Bookmakers part-suspend bets after Duchess of Cambridge goes into labour

Ladbrokes has closed most markets except for the name

Royal fans covered with Union Jacks and royal memorabilia wait for Kate, Duchess of Cambridge to go into the Lindo wing at St Mary's Hospital to give birth to her second child (AP)

The news that the Duchess of Cambridge has gone into labour has led bookmakers to part-suspend bets relating to the latest addition to the royal family.

Ladbrokes has closed most markets except for the name, where Alice leads the way as the 6/4 favourite as hysteria grows relentlessy. Charlotte's odds have been cut in half in the last week to 3/1, and James has now overtaken Arthur as the favoured name should Catherine give birth to a boy.

Bookmaker Coral says the public has also predicted Prince George’s sibling will be a girl named Alice, weighing between 7lb and 7lb 15oz.

Jessica Bridge, a spokesperson for Ladbrokes said: "As soon as the nation's awake baby betting is going to go berserk. Punters have been well in favour of a girl over the last 9 months, and it would be a huge surprise to them if George is joined by a little brother soon."

Various unsubstantiated rumours of 'convoys' and 'police escorts' led bookmakers to suspend bets on the date the royal baby would be born on Friday.

It didn't stop William Hill though, who were so enthused by the impending birth that the bookmaker ordered two huge teddy bears to potentially block the Lindo Wing entrance outside St Mary’s Hospital in London:

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