Royal Baby: Kate Shows Strength, Prince William a Hands-On Dad

Royal Baby: Kate Shows Strength, Prince William a Hands-On Dad

The Duchess of Cambridge gave the world its much-anticipated view of her newborn son when she left St. Mary's hospital in London one day after giving birth.

With the tiny prince bundled up, Kate and her husband, Prince William, were relaxed and composed as they shared their joy with the world. Royal watchers were amazed by Kate's resilience.

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"Coming out of the hospital a day after having given birth for any mother is an immense amount of responsibility," said Rosie Pope, contributing editor to Parents magazine.

ABC News' Dr. Jennifer Ashton agreed.

"Twenty-four hours post-partum you're exhausted, weak, emotional. Getting out of bed is an incredible feat," she said.

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The new parents made their appearance on the same steps of St. Mary's where Princess Diana and her then-husband, Prince Charles, showed the world its first glimpse of William 31 years ago.

Ingrid Seward, a royal biographer, recalled Diana's state of mind when she left the hospital after William's birth in June 1981.

"Diana told me when she stepped out there with William … she was so overwhelmed, so nervous, that when they actually got into the car and drove around the camera, she just burst into tears," Seward said.

Kate herself acknowledged the enormity of the moment Tuesday when she told reporters the birth was, "very emotional."

The comparison between Princess Diana and Duchess Kate, 31, was inevitable.

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For example, when Diana left the hospital, she wore a loose teal dress that was covered in white polka dots. Kate also wore a polka-dot dress: white dots on a cornflower-blue background.

Another comparison that has been drawn is between William and his father, Prince Charles.

When Charles and Diana left the hospital, Charles was holding their son, and then he gave him to Diana. When William and Kate emerged Tuesday from St. Mary's, Kate was holding the yet-to-be-named baby and she turned him over to her husband.

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"The moment Kate handed over their new baby boy to William was such a significant moment," Pope of Parents magazine said. "You know she was saying that both of us are parents, and that is the way they are going to go forth."

Prince William also proved he is a hands-on dad by strapping the baby into his car seat himself and then getting behind the wheel of the family's car as they drove to their Kensington Palace home.

"I think William handled his exit from the hospital like a prince," Pope said.