Sir Marcus Setchell pretended Britain’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were just a normal couple when he delivered their son.
The Queen’s surgeon-gynaecologist – who came out of retirement at the request of Prince William and Duchess Catherine to deliver their firstborn, Prince George – has opened up about the experience and admitted he had to play down the pressure he felt.
Speaking in an interview with ‘Woman’s Hour’ BBC Radio 4, he said: "You just have to keep reminding yourself that although it’s very important, for the couple and the about-to-be-born baby, it’s just another healthy young couple giving birth to a hopefully very healthy baby.
"And I constantly reminded myself of that so that the pressures of the hundreds of media people outside the hospital didn’t affect me, at least not more than minimally."
Sir Marcus was in charge of the team of doctors delivering Prince George at the exclusive Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London and he’s insisted that a team of "perfectly wonderful" midwives helped them.
The 70-year-old health professional was also on hand to look after the Duchess when she suffered from extreme morning sickness – hyperemesis gravidarum – in the early stages of her pregnancy.
Earlier this year, Catherine attended his leaving lunch at the Hyde Park Hilton and he was then called back to Buckingham Palace where he was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order – a personal gift from the Queen.
Sir Marcus Setchell on delivering Britain’s Prince George
