Royalists Joe and Hannah Cooper say their new-born son George is their "very own little prince".

The Ramsgate couple celebrated the birth of George yesterday evening shortly after 9pm - hours after Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, announced the birth of their son, who is third in line to the throne.

Happy parents Joe, 26, and 24-year-old Hannah decided six months ago to call their newborn George, the name widely tipped by the pundits that the royals will call their first child.

Joe said: "It is a name we hit upon early in Hannah's pregnancy - and our other son who is 20 months old is called Charles so it fits in with the royal names that way too.

"We are great fans of the royal family. They are fantastic for this country and we are proud and privileged our son was born on the same day as an heir to the throne, and at the Queen Mother Hospital too - it is something our little prince will carry with him all his life."

Hannah, a former booker-keeper, and Joe, who runs Fitness One Gym in Northdown Road, Cliftonville, were admitted into the maternity unit around 8pm on Tuesday at the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, with George born at 9.05pm.

He weighed in at 7lb 15oz after a straightforward delivery.

Joe and Hannah, who live at Hellvellyn Avenue, announced their news on social networking site Facebook and within hours had more than 100 messages of congratulations.

Joe said: "It is lovely for our family to share our special moment with others."

And he added that before too long the Coopers will take their own little "prince" George to London to visit Buckingham Palace to mark the family's very personal royal link.