A NEW arrival at Lancashire’s flagship zoo has been given the royal treatment – after being born just three hours before Princess Charlotte.

Charlie the eastern white pelican became the first of his kind to hatch at Blackpool Zoo since 2008 when he muscled in on the royals’ limelight on May 2.

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The chick, which will be the first of its species ever to be hand-reared, was born in a specialist incubator after excited keepers camped in the bird nursery for two days in anticipation.

But experts still haven’t figured out which gender Charlie is – hence the unisex name.

Johnpaul Houston, assistant head keeper at Blackpool Zoo, said: “As the birth of the royal baby got closer and closer we started to wonder if any of our animals would join Kate in labour, so you can imagine our excitement when Charlie hatched at 5.30am – just three hours before the Princess.

“As eastern white pelican breeding is so rare in the UK, we really are giving the chick VIP treatment and waiting on it hand and foot.

“It is the first time an eastern white pelican chick has hatched in the UK since 2008, the last one, called Cyril, was the country’s first and still lives here at Blackpool Zoo.

“Everyone at Blackpool Zoo would like to send huge congratulations to Kate, William and George on the new addition to their family.”

Charlie is being cared for round-the-clock while zookeepers wait to carry out DNA testing.

Coincidentally, Blackpool Zoo’s Spanish sister attraction, Faunia, in Madrid, also welcomed a newborn eastern white pelican on the same day and the two teams of keepers are speaking and sharing information every day .

Mr Houston said: “Keepers will continue to hand rear Charlie in the coming months and when the little one’s ready, Charlie will stay in a pen at the pelican beach where it can see the zoo’s other pelicans.”