Royal baby name LIVE updates: Kate and William to reveal name TODAY as HUGE hint dropped

• Kate, Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to her third child, a baby boy weighing 8lbs 7oz on Monday, April 23 at the Lindo Wing, St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
• Kensington Palace is expected to announce the royal baby’s name today, a full two days after the youngster was born - as was the case with Prince George, four, and Princess Charlotte, two.
• The pair’s youngest brother is doing “really well” along with his mother, according to Prince William who spoke with attendees at a Westminster Abbey Anzac Day Service earlier to commemorate Australia’s and New Zealand’s soldiers.
• The Duke has dropped the biggest hint yet as to what the name could be by joking that his youngest son has a “strong name”.
• He also said the pair were "in good form, luckily", and added: "Sleeping's going reasonably well so far, so he's behaving himself which is good news."
• Punters are betting that the royal baby will be called Arthur, with the latest odds at 5-2 according to bookmakers Coral.
• James and Albert are just behind, with odds of 4-1, after a flurry of last minute bets were made in the last 24 hours.

Thursday April 26

5.38am: Odds from Ladbrokes

As of this morning, the odds for the Royal Baby’s name on Ladbrokes are as follows:

Alexander – 3/1

Arthur – 3/1

James – 6/1

1.46am: A third day of waiting

We’ve now entered a third day since the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth but are still so far unsure what her new child will be called.

With the names of both Prince George and Princess Charlotte announced 48 hours after their birth, many had expected yesterday to be the day the name would be announced.

Now that deadline has past, it is completely unknown when the Palace will make the announcement.

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams also believed the announcement would have been made on Wednesday.

10.05pm: Royal punters kill time with ludicrous baby name suggestions

While the world impatiently waits for Kensington Palace to break the news, punters have been coming up with some very farfetched ideas on social media.

Louise, @astolante, tweeted: “Strong names: Wolverine, Megatron, Kratos, Link, Sephiroth.

“They all pair nicely with Windsor.”

Lady T, @LadyTCooks, tweeted: “I’m hoping the Royals take a note from the Kardashian’s and call the new royal baby North... as that would make him North Windsor or Slough for short.”

Meanwhile Kaiser@Celebrity, @KaiseratCB, said: “For a terrible moment, I thought ‘Joseph James DeAngelo’ was trending because that was the royal baby's name.”

8.05pm: ’William and Kate waiting for Prince Charles before big announcement’

Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter thinks the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could be waiting for Prince Charles to return to the UK, before annulling their son’s name.

She said: “So, no baby name today. Can only assume they’re waiting for Charles to get back from France to meet his new grandson first. Can’t complain about that.”

Earlier today Ms Arbiter teased Alexander is indeed a “strong name” but an unlikely choice because it is Prince George’s middle name.

Instead she suggested Arthur Michael Philip is a much more suitable choice.

8pm: Sebastian Kettley takes over live reporting from Kat Hopps.

6.03pm: Carole Middleton and son James spotted visiting Kensington Palace 

The Duchess of Cambridge's mother and brother have been spotted visiting Kensington Palace, Hello Magazine has reported.

The celebrity publication wrote: "Carole was also on hand to help with the school run as she was pictured collecting Prince George, four, from school."

4.41pm: Thousands of pounds bet by some punters on the royal baby name

Some gamblers trying to guess the name of the royal baby have placed wagers of more than a thousand pounds, Ladbrokes has told Express.co.uk.

Ladbrokes spokesman Alex Apati said a bet of £2,000 has been placed on Philip (6/1 odds) while £1,000 has been placed separately on James (5/1) and Albert (8/1).

He added a punter who placed £500 on current favourite Alexander this morning, when odds were 10/1, could win £5,000 (plus their original £500 back) if they're right.

4.24pm: Alexander now favourite name or tied with Arthur, say bookies

Alexander has surged ahead of Arthur for the royal baby names, according to the latest bests within the last 30 minutes.

Betfair said following a flurry of bets on Alexander in the last hour, the odds have dramatically dropped to 9/4 from 20/1 yesterday and 12/1 this morning.

This is followed by 3/1 Louis, 6/1 Arthur, 14/1 Albert, 14/1 James, 14/1 Philip and 18/1 Henry.

Coral said it now has Arthur 3/1 joint favourite with Alexander, with Louis and Albert both behind at 5/1.

3pm: Which family members has the royal baby met?

As the world awaits the name of the royal baby, which royals have met the youngest of the Cambridge family?

Pippa Middleton, who is pregnant with her first child, was spotted visiting her nephew at Kensington Palace yesterday.

She was seen driving away in a car after spending two hours with the family.

Carole Middleton is also believed to have met her grandson and was seen shopping for baby items on the King’s Road, Chelsea.

The Prince of Wales has spoken of his delight at the birth of his latest grandchild, joking "the only trouble is I don't know how I am going to keep up with them".

No official word has been mentioned of him visiting yet.

2.50pm: William Hill suspends betting on Royal baby name

William Hill has suspended betting on the royal baby’s name after Alexander became the hot favourite in just over an hour.

Odds have fallen from 14/1 to evens after The Duke of Cambridge suggested at an Anzac Day service today that the name Alexander was a good option.

Told by Alexander Downer, the Australian High Commissioner, that his name would be a good frontrunner for the Prince, the Duke replied: "Funny you should say that... It's a good name."

William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said: ”This is the second gamble since the Prince was born and with an announcement presumably just around the corner, we are taking this one very seriously.

”Both George and Charlotte were well backed in the final hours before the announcement of their names and this looks like a similar gamble."

2.37pm: What are the latest bookies' odds? Ladbrokes slashes odds on Alexander to 5/1

Ladbrokes says it has slashed odds on the royal baby being called Alexander, after a surge of bets from Royal watchers.

The Duke of Cambridge joked his new son could be named Alexander following a conversation with the Australian High Commissioner, Alexander Downer, earlier today.

Following punters making a flurry of bets, Ladbrokes says it has been forced to slash its odds on the name from 10/1 to just 5/1.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "We're not entirely convinced about this one given that George's middle name is Alexander, but punters clearly think they're onto something and we've had to respond accordingly."

However, Arthur remains in front with odds of 11/4.

2.30pm: Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams tells Express.co.uk that Arthur is ‘likely’ name

Royal watcher Richard Fitzwilliams has tipped Arthur to be the name of the new royal baby due to its close association with the legendary King Arthur.

He also said that the name is likely to be revealed before 48 hours had passed folllowing the baby's arrival.

2.27pm: Prince William jokes that Jerry is ’strong name’

Prince William has revealed at an Anzac Day Westminster Abbey service that his new son has a “strong name”.

But the Duke, who has been known to joke about possible names in the past, went one further with a reference to the name Jerry.

As William met Sir Jerry Mateparae, New Zealand High Commissioner to the UK in Westminster Abbey, the Dean of Westminster joked about the eagerly anticipated name, saying: "Jerry would like it to be Jerry."

William replied: "Jerry's a strong name."