By royal appointment: The 16 babies who share our future king’s birthday

Poole’s St Mary’s Maternity Unit welcomed 15 new arrivals on the same day as Prince William and Kate’s boy, while there was one at Royal Bournemouth.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s son – third in line to the throne – was delivered at St Mary’s Hospital in London at 4.24 on Monday afternoon weighing 8lb 6oz.

Closest to that time locally was 6lb 13oz Mohamed Khalil, born by caesarean at Poole just before the Duke and Duchess of Cam-bridge’s son.

Parents Ahmed Alderdiri and Shemaa Khalil of Bournemouth, whose other son is Moemin, did not hear about their family’s royal connection until 9pm the same evening.

“There were only nine minutes between them. It was a big surprise,” said Mr Alderdiri.

Kirsty Bryant, of Bournemouth, who shares her birthday with Prince William, gave birth to baby daughter Daisy.

“Her contractions started about two hours after a friend sent a message to say Kate was in labour.

“Daisy arrived at 10.30pm, weighing in at 7lb 11oz, and is a little sister to Lily.

In a further coincidence, Kirsty was pictured by the Echo at the age of about three when she met Prince William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, who was opening the Bournemouth Family Centre in Kinson Road.

“She wasn’t meant to get out of the car but she saw all the people there and came over to shake lots of hands,” she recalled.

Walkford couple Chris and Laura Martin’s Emily was born at 4.55am, weighing 7lb 7oz, a sister for four-year-old Grace while New Forest first-time parents Ashley and Sam Elston’s son Thomas George was born at 12.30pm in the afternoon and weighing 7lb 11oz.

Also celebrating are Mary Amihanda-Struthers and Sean Struthers of West Moors, whose 6lb 12oz son was born at 9.34am.

They have named him Kealani – a Hawaiian word meaning clear heaven – and he is a brother for 18-month-old Ayana .

The parents can now apply for one of 2,013 silver pennies coined by the Royal Mint for babies born on the same day as the new prince.