Mother and Daughter

"One mother holding the future Queen Consort in her arms and the other mother holding the future King" 
 ....Mother and Daughter....

The Duchess of Cambridge had a "perfect, natural birth" when she welcomed baby Prince George on July 22nd, the latest issue of Vanity Fair reports. "She spoke to some of her best girlfriends after the birth and described the birth as perfect," a source told the October issue of the magazine. "She said it was straightforward and there were no complications. She wanted a natural birth and she was so happy she was able to have one."

And it would seem that Kate mirrored her own mother in that regard. George Brown, who has been a close family friend of the Middletons for the past 31 years, told Vanity Fair that new grandmother Carole had an "easy and natural" birth when she delivered her own firstborn.

"[It] didn't surprise me," he said. "She was fit and competent from the word go. She seemed to take to motherhood amazingly well, and when I went round to see her, she was happy and seemed to know exactly what she was doing. Catherine was a lovely little baby, cherubic and chubby-cheeked and so good. I remember she didn't cry much at all. I think that was probably because Carole was so relaxed."

The article also sheds light on new details surrounding the birth, such as Kate's appearance when she entered the hospital in the early hours of the morning (a dark shawl and her hair loose around her shoulders) - and how waiting photographers decided it would be inappropriate to snap her. The article also reveals that the Duchess's hairdresser, Amanda Cook Tucker was on standby for the entire month of July.

The hair stylist, who arrived at the hospital with an assistant, was also responsible for bringing a selection of dresses for Kate to choose from for her first post-baby appearance outside the hospital, the magazine reports. "She chose the pale blue spotted Jenny Packham dress that afternoon because her tummy was still very rounded and she decided there was no point trying to hide her bump, so she went for a flattering dress that showed off her curves," a source said.

They added that the Duchess was apparently still very emotional at the time, and "incredibly nervous" about posing for the press, though William was on hand with plenty of reassurance.

(Photo of Carole Middleton with baby Kate taken in 1982.)