Royal Baby Craze: Queen Elizabeth's Cousin Is Not Impressed

The royal family seems to have more perspective on the royal baby than the world at large. As hordes of media, fans and royal-watchers huddle around the London hospital where Kate Middleton is expected to labor, it's business as usual for the family of the future monarch. Recently, the Queen’s cousin, 88-year-old Margaret Rhodes, told CNN she wasn’t “terribly excited” about the royal birth because “everybody has babies." 

Rhodes, who remains close with her cousin, has witnessed her share of royal births and weddings.

“Well, you know, everybody has babies,” she said during the interview with Christiane Amanpour. “And it's lovely, but I don't get wildly excited about it.”

And she’s not the only one showing restraint when it comes to the royal baby. Even great- grandmother-to-be, Queen Elizabeth, said in an appearance in Cumbria, UK, that she’s eager for the royal baby's arrival because she’s “going on holiday” next week. At least Prince William got to go to his polo match last weekend, amid speculation his wife would be in labor.

This "when it happens, it happens" attitude within the Royal Family’s inner circle could be a very good thing for the royal baby as it gets older, especially when contrasted to the overeager enthusiasm displayed by everyone else. Rhodes, who lived with Queen Elizabeth as a child during World War II, has seen what it's like to grow up under a microscope. Her wishes for the royal baby? "Just a jolly, happy, ordinary child’s life,” she said.