I guess that was my comment about Kate arriving at the hospital in early labour?

I think a natural birth is totally possible though less likely than at home due to the pressures of the hospital time lines for labour. I arrived at the hospital in very established labour so I didn't have as many time pressures and had a natural birth... until the 3rd stage where the MWs wanted to give me syntocinon due to large blood loss. Maybe it was necessary but I personally think I would have been fine without it as the blood loss was actually not that large. I think there are a bunch of little ways that hospital 'anxiousness' about erring on the side of caution can make you less likely to have a natural birth.

As for an empowered birth in hospital I think they're pretty much non-existent. You are not the true decision maker in hospital. You might make choices but only within their guidelines. My own birth seemed amazing to me at first but then I realised about those little times the power was clearly not placed in my hands. My lovely MW still said things about being able to "let me" or her "having to" etc. Again, I think going into hospital in established labour can help avoid this as the body can take over and make the birth progress in a way that no policy or timelines have to be dealt with. But the fact that they are there as the final decision makers means the mother is already the dis-empowered party.