Prince William, Princess Kate's new baby is a boy but Princess Charlotte will retain her spot in line of succession

Kate, 36, gave birth to a boy weighing eight pounds, seven ounces.

ByKatie Kindelan and Carolyn Durand via logo
April 23, 2018, 9:13 AM

Princess Kate today delivered a baby boy, making herself and Prince William the parents of three children.

The new baby, whose name has yet to be announced, will join his older siblings, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, in line to the British throne.

PHOTO: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge wave to well-wishers as they depart Victoria, Oct. 1, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge and Princess Charlotte of Cambridge wave to well-wishers as they depart Victoria, Oct. 1, 2016, in Victoria, Canada.
Samir Hussein/Getty Images

The newborn’s place in the line of succession, however, is making history.

Charlotte, who turns 3 on May 2, will retain her claim to the throne, even though the newborn is a boy.

The Succession to the Crown Act 2013, which was passed when Kate was pregnant with George, states that succession to the throne would be based wholly on birth order, not gender.

PHOTO: Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge look on from the balcony during the annual Trooping The Colour parade at the Mall, June 17, 2017, in London.
Princess Charlotte of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge look on from the balcony during the annual Trooping The Colour parade at the Mall, June 17, 2017, in London.
Karwai Tang/Getty Images

George is third in line to the throne and Charlotte is currently fourth in line to the throne.

William and Kate's new son is now fifth in line to the throne.

Prince Harry, 33, who is preparing to wed Meghan Markle on May 19, will be bumped down to sixth in line to the throne.

Like George and Charlotte, this child will also be designated as his or her royal highness and will have the title of prince or princess.

The reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, ascended to the throne in 1952. The baby is the queen's sixth great-grandchild.

Here is the new line of succession to the British throne.

1. His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales

PHOTO: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, during the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace in London, April 19, 2018.
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, during the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace in London, April 19, 2018.
ROTA/Polaris

2. His Royal Highness Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge

PHOTO: Prince William, Duke of Cambridge smiles as he attends a joint session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and Youth forums at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, April 17, 2018 in London.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge smiles as he attends a joint session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and Youth forums at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, April 17, 2018 in London.
Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images

3. His Royal Highness Prince George

PHOTO: Prince George of Cambridge view helicopter models H145 and H135 before departing from Hamburg airport on the last day of their official visit to Poland and Germany, July 21, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany.
Prince George of Cambridge view helicopter models H145 and H135 before departing from Hamburg airport on the last day of their official visit to Poland and Germany, July 21, 2017 in Hamburg, Germany.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images

4. Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte

PHOTO: Britain's Princess Charlotte stands on the steps at Kensington Palace before she left for her first day of nursery at the Willcocks Nursery School in a photograph taken taken by her mother in London, Jan. 8, 2018.
Britain's Princess Charlotte stands on the steps at Kensington Palace shortly before she left for her first day of nursery at the Willcocks Nursery School in a photograph taken taken by her mother and handed out by Kesington Palace in London, Jan. 8, 2018.
Kesington Palace

5. Baby Cambridge (Name to be announced)

6. His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales (Prince Harry)

PHOTO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart from Catalyst Inc, Northern Ireland's next generation science park, March 23, 2018, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle depart from Catalyst Inc, Northern Ireland's next generation science park, March 23, 2018, in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Chris Jackson/Pool/Getty Images

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