il bambino reale
the royal baby
With the whole world on baby watch, I turned to the Italian press (la stampa italiana) for news della nascita del primo figlio di William e Kate (of the first son of William and Kate).
“Il futuro re d'Inghilterra è nato.” read one headline. (The future king of England has been born.) Il bimbo (the child) weighed 8 libbre e 6 once (eight pounds, six ounces), or poco più di 3,8 chilogrammi (a little more than 3.8 kilograms).
The Italian newspapers reported the royal arrival’s name as Prince George of Cambridge rather than Principe Giorgio di Cambridge. They also noted his astrological sign — cancro, cuspide (Cancer, on the cusp) — and his Chinese sign (Serpente). Prince William, who was present al parto (at the birth), said,"Non potremmo essere più felici." (We could not be happier.)
"La mamma Kate e il bebè stanno bene” (Mom Kate and baby are doing well), the Palace announced. Il neopapà (the new father) personally called his grandmother the queen with the news. "La regina, il duca di Edimburgo, il principe del Galles, la duchessa di Cornovaglia, il principe Harry e i famigliari … sono felicissimi, " the Palace added. (The Queen, the Duke of Edinborough, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry are most happy.)
"Un bambino meraviglioso, un bambino bellissimo" (an absolutely marvelous baby, a most beautiful baby), commented the head of the obstetrical team, the Queen’s former gynecologist, who came out of retirement to fare questo ultimo favore alla monarca (to do this last favor for the monarch).
Il travaglio della duchessa di Cambridge (the labor of the duchess of Cambridge) began under una luna piena (a full moon). She arrived at the hospital in the morning in macchina (by car), accompagnata solo da William (accompanied only by William). We do not know how long la duchessa spent in a sala travaglio (labor room), but she had a parto naturale (natural birth) rather than a parto cesareo (c-section).
A few hours after the birth, a messenger carried the official announcement to be displayed in una cornice di legno scuro (in a dark wood frame) in front of Buckingham Palace.
For the first time, la nascita di un erede reale (the birth of a royal heir) was announced con ogni mezzo (with every means), including a “twitter reale” (royal twitter).
Il premier britannico (the British prime minister) David Cameron described the birth as "un momento importante nella vita della nostra nazione, ma soprattutto un fantastico momento per una calorosa e amabile coppia" (an important moment in the life of our nation but above all a fantastic moment for a warm and charming couple.”
All of Londron fa festa (is making merry). Shops are selling magliette (tee shirts) proclaiming “Mia nonna è la Regina” (My grandmother is the Queen) and “Pippa è mia zia”(Pippa is my aunt).
Now that il piccolo principe (the little prince) has been born, La Repubblica observed,the Commonwealth can breathe a sigh of relief: L'Inghilterra ha il suo nuovo erede. (England has its new heir.)
Viva il futuro re! Long live the future king!
Words and Expressions
erede legittimo -– lawful heir
ricevere in eredità –– inherit
principe ereditario –- crown prince
incoronare un re –- to crown a king
Dianne Hales is the author of La Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language. Click here for more information on joining her for a week of writing, cooking, and savoring Italian pleasures in Capri this fall.
