Royal Crier
The royal crier, Tony Appleton, outside of St Mary’s Hospital in London July 22. Reuters

Amid the chaos that was the royal baby birth announcement, one tradition maintained itself. But not because it was invited.

The royal crier, 76-year-old Tony Appleton, made his public proclamation to fans and well-wishers outside of St. Mary’s Hospital in London on Monday when the royal baby was born.

“Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye,” he began, while clanging a bell. "On this day, the 22nd of July, the year 2013, we welcome with honorable duty a future king. The first born of the Royal Highness, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The third in line to the throne. Our new prince is the third great-grandchild of Her Majesty the Queen and the first grandchild of the royal highness the Prince of Wales. May he be long lived, happy and glorious and one day to reign over us. God save the Queen."

But according to Yahoo, Appleton, who hails from Chelmsford, Exxes, said he was not even invited by the royal family personally to partake in delivering the announcement.

"I was not invited, I just crashed the party,” he told Yahoo. “I got out of my cab and I stood in front of the steps, because I didn't think I would be allowed on them, and did my bit. It was great. It was a great atmosphere, it's like the Olympics."

Appleton said a journalist from the Times wrote down what he had to say to be sure it went according to tradition as the royal crier.

But though he has been the royal town crier for 25 years, he’s still shocked to see his face on newspapers and websites worldwide. "I can't believe it, I've opened up the newspapers and my face is all over them," he said.

Appleton, who runs a home for the elderly, said he also waited outside Buckingham Palace in 2011 for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton to fill the tradition of the town crier.

His interest in the royal family, though, extends far back from the royal wedding. Appleton said he became infatuated with the British monarchy when he met the Queen as a child while she was on a royal walkabout.

"I love the royal family, I love them to bits,” he said.