Who is town crier Tony Appleton and will he announce Meghan and Harry's baby?
4 April 2019, 15:42
Tony Appleton is the 'unofficial town cryer' of the royal family - here's everything you need to know
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's first child is due any day now, and we can't wait to get our first glimpse of the new royal baby.
Read more: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry join Instagram as Sussex Royal and share their first post
But one person who we're guessing is even more excited than us is Tony Appleton, the 'unofficial town cryer' of the royal family - who announced the arrival of Princess Charlotte outside the Lindo Wing back in 2015.
Here's your need-to-know.
Who is Tony Appleton? What's his age and background?
Tony, 83, was born in Chelmsford, Essex in 1936. He served in the Royal Navy during the Suez Crisis and the Korean War, and met Queen Elizabeth when he was 17 during a royal inspection of one of his ships.
Tony Appleton's career as a town crier
Tony has claimed that he was first told he 'looks like' a town crier when he was a child at a fete, and that he's 'never looked back since'. In the early 2000s, he became the official town crier of Romford in East London.
He was also the crier at the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.
Tony Appleton's announcement of the birth of Princess Charlotte
Tony was the unofficial crier of the birth of Princess Charlotte, bellowed the announcement while ringing his bell from the steps of the Lindo Wing on 2 May 2015.
He said: “On this day, the second of May, the year 2015, we welcome with humble duty, the second born of their royal highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.”
Tony then added: "I knew [George] was going to get a sister. A little princess, how wonderful!
"England needs a little princess, especially with all this election nonsense! Knock all these politicians out of the way. Some happy news is what this world needs."
Will Tony Appleton announce the birth of Harry and Meghan's baby?
It is not yet known whether he will announce the birth of the next royal baby, however it has been reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may opt for a more private birth than that of William and Kate, and may even shun the Lindo Wing.
