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Prince William
Prince Harry has reportedly told friends that Kate and William are expecting a boy.
Prince Harry is so happy about becoming an uncle he couldn’t keep the secret of the baby’s sex to himself.
The bookies are offering odds of 1/3 favorite on Kate Middleton having a girl and 5/2 for a boy, even though couple have made no official announcement about the baby due in mid-July.
But those odds may change after a source close to Prince Harry said: “Harry has been telling everyone Wills and Kate are having a boy and how thrilled he is at the prospect of having a little nephew.
“He said the whole family were excited about it. Apparently Kate has always wanted a boy. They’re really working hard on baby names now and think they have it sorted.”
Prince Harry has reportedly told friends that Kate and William are expecting a boy
Princess Eugenie, Prince William’s cousin, has also been telling friends the baby is a boy, according to another royal insider quoted by the Sunday People.
The source said: “They won’t reveal anything to anyone – not even Harry. Of course, Harry’s been making up crazy suggestions and winding them up too.
“The close inner circle all know that it’s a boy and they’re busily buying gifts with a boy theme. There will be an awful lot if blue in their house.”
Although the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have kept mum about the baby’s name, Kate Middleton, 31, has accidentally dropped a couple of hints about the sex of the child in recent months.
In March she appeared to suggest a girl was on the way when she given a teddy by a well-wisher during a walkabout in Grimsby.
Kate Middleton said: “I will take that for my d..” –and then stopped herself.
A nearby listener said: “You were going to say daughter, weren’t you?”
Kate replied: “No, we don’t know.”
Weeks later Kate Middleton appeared to drop another clue as she revealed she had bought a Bugaboo pram in light blue which could indicate the newborn would be a boy.
The pram’s color came to light when the duchess chatted to a group of Army wives at a reception on St Patrick’s Day.
Then Prince Harry was seen holding a blue teddy bear as he walked to Kensington Palace, the home he shares with Kate and William in London.
But there was a simple explanation – the bear had been given to him by a little girl while he toured Nottingham. She asked him to give it to Kate’s baby and he delivered it in person.
But another insider added: “Even though there’s a lot of gossip doing the rounds, there’s no way anyone can confirm it at the moment.”
The Sunday People claims that no decision has been made where Kate Middleton will have the baby, but the choice has been narrowed down to two hospitals.
Princess Diana Prince had William and Harry at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington, West London, while there is speculation that the child could be born at the Royal Berkshire Hospital – the birthplace of Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa.
It was Kate and William second wedding anniversary, but it was business as usual for the Duchess of Cambridge as she visited Naomi House Children’s Hospice today.
Kate Middleton, 31, was without husband Prince William during the engagement at the children’s hospice in Hampshire to mark Children’s Hospice Week.
It was Kate and William second wedding anniversary, but it was business as usual for the Duchess of Cambridge as she visited Naomi House Children’s Hospice
According to sources, Prince William is on shift as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot in Anglesey on the anniversary of their Westminster Abbey wedding in 2011 – which is normally celebrated with a gift of cotton.
However it is believed Kate and William enjoyed a private weekend away in Norfolk to mark the occasion.
On her visit to the hospice, Kate Middleton looked blooming in an apricot-colored Tara Jarmon Coat and a peach dress by a private dressmaker.
She was presented with a beautiful posy of flowers by Sally Evans, eight, from Salisbury, Wilts, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy.
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When Kate Middleton revealed she had bought a pram in light blue, Royal watchers wondered excitedly if she had dropped the biggest clue yet to the sex of her unborn child.
Kate Middleton – who is six months pregnant – told guests at a recent reception that she had chosen a buggy by designer label Bugaboo, which has celebrity fans including actress Sienna Miller and television presenter Peaches Geldof.
The buggies, which cost from £500 to £1,000 ($800-$1,600) and can operate as either a pushchair or pram, come in a variety of colors and parents who do not know the sex of their baby usually prefer neutral hues such as beige, off-white or black.
Kate Middleton and Prince William have insisted that they do not know if they are having a boy or a girl.
Kate Middleton, who is six months pregnant, told guests at a recent reception that she bought a Bugaboo pram in light blue
But although it is possible to swap some of the buggy’s accessories for those in different colors, including pink, Kate Middleton’s choice of blue will be seen as a clear hint as to her feelings about the gender.
The Duchess of Cambridge has said she would prefer a son while Prince William wants a daughter.
Yesterday, Bugaboo said it had not presented the buggy to the Royal couple after being advised by officials not to send gifts.
So it appears that the duchess, who was seen shopping for a Moses basket in South Kensington last week with her mother, bought the pram herself.
Kate Middleton, 31, revealed the Bugaboo color when she chatted to a group of Army wives at a drinks reception in Aldershot on St Patrick’s Day.
A source has claimed: “She and some of the other girls were talking about prams and one of the girls had her baby in a Bugaboo.
“Kate said she has bought one in light blue. It was a bit of a hint.”
Guardsman Lee Wheeler, 29, who met Kate Middleton at the ceremony, said the Duchess was happily discussing the Royal bump.
He said: “I asked her, <<Do you know if it’s a girl or a boy?>> and she said, <<Not yet>>.
“She said, <<I’d like to have a boy and William would like a girl>>. I asked her if she had any names and she said no.”
Since then, however, Kate Middleton and Prince William revealed they have a shortlist of boys’ and girls’ names.
Alexandra and Elizabeth are said to be favorites for a girl, with George in the running for a boy.
Kate Middleton is already six months pregnant but she appears to be almost as slim as ever, with the merest hint of a baby bump.
The Duchess of Cambridge looked slim as she played basketball and table tennis as she visited a homeless shelter in Glasgow this week with Prince William.
Dressed in a chic tartan coat and her trademark black suede boots, Kate Middleton was unusually happy to reveal details about her condition saying she plans to go on maternity leave from her royal duties from “around June time”.
Kate Middleton is already six months pregnant but she appears to be almost as slim as ever, with the merest hint of a baby bump
The duchess, who is six months’ pregnant, also revealed that her due date is “around mid-July” – a slightly more precise hint than the official announcement.
St James’s Palace has previously only confirmed the royal couple’s baby will be born “in July”, with officials refusing to give the exact due date.
Kate Middleton, 31, also said that she and Prince William had drawn up a list of boys’ and girls’ names for their first child – and that she has taken up knitting. “I’ve been trying to knit and I’m really bad. I should be asking for tips,” the duchess said.
When Rachel Sawyer, a project manager at Glasgow shelter, asked when her due date was and if she had any names, Kate Middleton replied: “It’s around mid-July but apparently babies have their own agenda …
“We have a shortlist for both [boy and girl] but it’s very difficult. My friends keep texting me names.”
When asked if she had got her nursery ready, Kate Middleton smiled and said: “No… we have got a lot to do!”
During the visit, the duchess also got an unusual insight into being a mother – from an eight-month-old baby with a taste for flowers. Kate Middleton chatted to Heidi Addison and her mother Shirley, who had a bouquet of flowers to give to the duchess, while they were in a crowd outside a sports centre.
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Famously discreet Kate Middleton may have dropped her guard a little on a walkabout yesterday.
According to one member of the crowd, Kate Middleton, who is five months pregnant, appeared to hint she might be having a baby girl.
Sandra Cook, 67, was among the 2,000 wellwishers who greeted Kate Middleton on her visit to Grimsby.
She said: “The lady next to me gave her a teddy bear and I distinctly heard her say <<Thank you, I will take that for my d….>>.
“Then she stopped herself. I leant over and said to her: <<You were going to say daughter, weren’t you?>> She said: <<No, we don’t know!>> I said: <<Oh, I think you do>> to which she replied: <<We’re not telling!>>
“I have been here since 10 a.m. and it was worth every cold minute of the wait to see her. She is just beautiful and so lovely and friendly.”
Kate Middleton, who is five months pregnant, appeared to hint she might be having a baby girl
Diana Burton, 41, who gave the Duchess a teddy, was too shell-shocked to recall the conversation. But Sandra Cook, who works in a local charity shop and lives in Grimsby, was adamant about what she heard.
“I only hope that she doesn’t now give birth to a boy or I’m going to look pretty stupid,” she said.
“But she definitely said <<d——>>.”
St James’s Palace did not comment on the matter, although royal sources insisted Kate Middleton and Prince William had not yet found out the sex of the baby, which is due in July.
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Kate Middleton is facing the prospect of never becoming Prince William’s Queen.
MP John Hemming is attempting to ensure all spouses of reigning monarchs are officially known as Prince or Princess Consorts, with an amendment to the repeal of ancient royal primogeniture laws.
The wives of ruling Kings currently become Queen Consorts but the husbands of female monarchs have no right to any title – which is why the current Duke of Edinburgh is not known as King Philip.
The Liberal Democrat’s Early Day Motion says the Duchess of Cambridge would lose out on being called Queen Catherine when her husband William is crowned King, reported the Sunday Express.
“It’s not right that a Queen Regnant is treated as less important than a King Regnant,” he told the Sunday Express.
“It seems sensible we resolve this issue when dealing with the primogeniture issue.”
Kate Middleton is facing the prospect of never becoming Prince William’s Queen
The proposal also means Camilla would become Princess Consort when Prince Charles becomes King – which Clarence House has always insisted upon, following the couple’s previous divorces.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill was told by the Lord Chancellor in 1954 that Philip had no right to any title despite his wife Elizabeth II becoming Queen – but he was later given the title of Prince.
The current difference in title rights dates back to the custom of male primogeniture, which has meant that male heirs have traditionally leapfrogged their older sisters in the line of succession.
But a new law to ensure the first child of the Duke and pregnant Duchess of Cambridge will succeed to the throne regardless of gender is being fast-tracked through Parliament.
Ending gender discrimination in the line of succession will involve changing some of the oldest laws on the Statute Book, including the Treason Act 1351, which was originally written in Norman French.
Yet science and folklore both give us clues that suggest Prince William and Kate Middleton will have a girl.
For starters, Kate Middleton’s debilitating morning sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, is more commonly found among women expecting girls.
And her slim build may also hint at a royal daughter. A 2008 study at the University of Exeter showed women who consumed lower-calorie diets were more likely to have girls because female foetuses can survive on fewer nutrients.
Then William’s occupation as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot could also play its part. An American study found pilots had an 80% chance of having girl babies.
One theory is that exposure to radiation on planes reduces the number of sperm carrying male chromosomes, but sperm carrying hardier female chromosomes are unaffected.
And if Kate Middleton is spotted leaving a Kensington dermatologist, it’s odds-on for a daughter.
French researchers found that mothers who suffered acne while pregnant were 90% more likely to give birth to a girl due to excess levels of the female hormone oestrogen.
On the other hand, there may be some truth in the idea that women who suffer cold feet will have a son.
Yet science and folklore both give us clues that suggest Prince William and Kate Middleton will have a girl
Cold feet are a symptom of poor circulation – and German scientists have found that this condition during pregnancy is often experienced among women expecting boys, though they haven’t yet been able to explain why.
If all else fails, there is one final method of prediction: ask the Duchess whether she thinks she is expecting a boy or a girl.
According to scientists from Arizona, women’s intuition is the most accurate gender predictor of all.
Asked to guess the sex of their child, mothers-to-be are correct 70% of the time.
Prince William has pulled out of attending the British Military Tournament tonight so he can spend time with wife Kate Middleton, who is recuperating after spending three nights in hospital.
The royal couple had both originally been due to attend tonight’s event but all of Kate Middleton’s forthcoming public engagements were cancelled after she received treatment for severe morning sickness.
It comes after Prince William, 30, joked at an event yesterday evening that morning sickness should be renamed as Kate Middleton suffered it all day and night.
It now appears unlikely that the Duchess will attend the premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film in the West End on Wednesday, and may not make another public appearance for several weeks.
A St James’s Palace spokesman said: “The Duke of Cambridge will no longer attend the British Military Tournament at Earl’s Court this evening, but will spend Sunday privately with the Duchess instead.
“It is well known that hyperemesis gravidarum often recurs and, until further notice, to allow the Duchess a degree of privacy during her pregnancy, we do not intend to offer regular condition checks or advise of routine developments associated with it.”
Prince William has pulled out of attending the British Military Tournament tonight so he can spend time with wife Kate Middleton, who is recuperating after spending three nights in hospital
The cancellation of Prince William’s attendance at the event, billed as “the largest display of military theatre in the world”, comes after he last night attended a charity event.
He went solo for the first time since the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge, also 30, was discharged from hospital.
The Duke of Cambridge attended a glittering charity tennis gala, the Winter Whites Gala, held in aid of homeless charity Centrepoint, at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
He was due to be accompanied by the Duchess, but she is resting after suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, an acute – and potentially dangerous – form of morning sickness.
Prince William, who is patron of Centrepoint, was congratulated by many on the news that a baby is on the way.
Prince William spent hours at Kate Middleton’s bedside this evening after driving her to hospital with acute morning sickness.
Duchess of Cambridge, 30, is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – a rare and debilitating condition that hits women in the earliest stages of pregnancy, causing severe vomiting.
Prince William drove Kate Middleton to hospital as she began to feel very unwell over the weekend at her parents’ home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
He was later seen leaving the hospital at around 8:25 p.m. before getting into a waiting Land Rover Discovery.
Kate wife has been given a drip to restore her nutrient levels and fluids and will be kept in for a few days as a precautionary measure, royal sources said.
The Royal couple are said to be “delighted” about the pregnancy, but appear to have been forced to announce it early because she was rushed to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.
“The condition – although unpleasant -poses no harm to mother and baby as long as it is treated, as your baby will take the nutrients it needs from your body – it’s the mum that suffers more,” Jules Robertson, a midwife for the baby charity Tommy’s said.
Senior Royal sources say there was no way they would have announced the pregnancy at this stage had she not fallen ill.
They are happy but are very nervous because it is so early in the pregnancy, the source added.
Kate Middleton’s slim figure is not a reason why she has become poorly.
But it can be a hereditary condition, meaning it is fairly likely that a close relative like her mother or grandmother could have suffered from the illness and she may get it again in future.
Professor Tim Draycott, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “It definitely does seem to run in families, and in consecutive pregnancies. It is possible someone in her family has suffered with it in the past.
“We know it’s not a psychological illness – it is not a sign of mental weakness.
“It does seem to be slightly more common in women expecting twins.
“It affects one per cent of women. That rises to two to three per of women expecting twins.
“She’s clearly very slim, but it affects women bigger than her and smaller than her.
“It is a bit like feeling permanently hungover every single day and never getting better.
“The symptoms would suggest she is less than 12 weeks pregnant.”
Kate Middleton is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare and debilitating condition that hits women in the earliest stages of pregnancy, causing severe vomiting
The condition, which could mean that Kate Middleton cannot eat or drink anything without being ill, usually occurs in the first 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy and can last for up to two months.
In the most serious cases symptoms can persist for the length of the pregnancy and can be life-threatening for mother and baby if not treated early as the woman may vomit up to 30 times a day.
Symptoms also include severe nausea, low blood pressure and fast heart rate, headaches, lethargy or confusion.
Kate Middleton’s involvement in Royal engagements may now be limited as a result.
“If it is not treated properly it can lead to severe side effects and problems for mother and baby,” Dr. Lucy MacKillop, obstetric physician at the Oxford University Hospitals trust.
“The danger for mother is greater if not treated. There have been reported cases of liver failure, ruptured tissue and cells from so much vomiting and neurological problems.
“It is to do with the pregnancy hormone, and there is more pregnancy hormone in mothers expecting twins.”
Spelling out the treatment Kate Middleton is likely to be getting Dr. Lucy MacKillop added: “We would give the mother medication which will be safe for both her and baby, and which will allow her to stop vomiting.
“Initially she will be on a drip so we can replace fluids and nutrients and then we can start to give her tablets, which she can take home with her and continue there.
“There is no special diet, but she needs to ensure she is eating little and often.
“We would not expect her to be putting on weight, but the important thing is that she maintains her weight.
“Women with this condition can lose five per cent of their body weight, so she will need to have weekly weight measurements.
“The most important thing is to get mother to stop being sick and get home.”
The condition is thought to be caused by elevated levels of the “pregnancy hormone” hCG. The body begins to produce human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) after conception.
Mothers who have also suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum said that Kate Middleton will be having a tough time.
Caitlin Dean suffered from the condition and said: “Imagine having a stomach bug that lasts for days and days, months and months – it is just relentless.
“Any movement, any sound, any smell just makes you vomit.
“I vomited 20 to 30 times a day for the first few months, in the latter part it was just once or twice a day but it’s still unpleasant.
“One of the big issues with it is isolation because is causes many women to be bed-bound. There is a real lack of understanding about the condition.”
But despite being a debilitating illness, it is not usually dangerous, and is often a sign that the pregnancy is going to plan, experts say.
Dr. Peter Bowen-Simpkins, consultant obstetrician and medical director of the London Women’s Clinic, has said: “It is almost always a positive sign that the pregnancy is progressing well.
“The sickness is thought to be due to a rise in hormone levels. It normally occurs during weeks six and eight of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over production of hormones from the ovaries.
“It generally continues until around 12 or 14 weeks, but if it stops before, it can – although not always – be a sign that all is not well.”
Jules Robertson, a midwife for the baby charity Tommy’s, said: “If pregnant women are vomiting several times during the day and unable to keep food or drink down, then they will need to be treated to help them cope with the symptoms, and stay nourished and hydrated.
“We advise that anyone experiencing this should see their GP or midwife to be checked. It is more common in early pregnancy, and by around 14-16 weeks, the sickness should have gone – most of the time it is resolved by 20 weeks, and very occasionally it can continue throughout pregnancy.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby will be born third in line to the throne. The Queen, Prince Philip and other members of the royal family are also “delighted”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: “I’m delighted by the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby.”
In a statement on the couple’s website, they said: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
“The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
“As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
Pippa Middleton is the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge whose derriere became the surprise star of last year’s Royal Wedding.
Now – in her new party-planning book Celebrate. A Year of Festivities for Family and Friends – Pippa Middleton has acknowledged the “startling” reality that she has achieved worldwide fame because Kate married Prince William and because of the unexpected focus on her bottom.
Pippa Middleton, 29, admits: “It is a bit startling to achieve global recognition before the age of 30 on account of your sister, your brother-in-law and your bottom.
“One day I might be able to make sense of this. In the meantime I think it’s fair to say that it has its upside and its downside.
“I certainly have opportunities many can only dream of – but in most ways I’m a typical girl in her 20s trying to forge a career and represent herself in what can sometimes seem rather strange circumstances.
“I am by nature an optimist so I tend to concentrate on the advantages.
“One of the most attractive has been the chance to publish [this book] Celebrate.”
Celebrate: A Year Of British Festivities For Families And Friends is party-planner Pippa Middleton’s guide to home entertaining and goes on sale at the end of this month.
In Celebrate, Pippa Middleton acknowledges the effect her sister the Duchess of Cambridge’s fame will have on sales, saying: “I know many of you will pick up the book out of nothing more than curiosity.
“[But] I can assure you that it feels even stranger to me than it probably does to you to have seen so much written about me when I have done so little to paint a picture of myself.
“This is my first chance to do that and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.
“The book is designed to be a comprehensive guide to home entertaining, based on my experience in my family’s business Party Pieces and work for London-based events company Table Talk.”
Pippa Middleton party planning book, Celebrate A Year of Festivities for Family and Friends
Last year it was revealed that Pippa Middleton – whose previous literary experience includes writing the online newsletter Party Times for the family’s business – had secured an almost unprecedented £400,000 ($620,000) deal for the book with publisher Michael Joseph.
Pippa Middleton’s recipes are accompanied by glossy pictures of the author along with a selection of anecdotes recalling her childhood growing up with Kate in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
Talking about Bonfire Night, Pippa Middleton says: “The unique sights, sounds, smells and tastes make this festival a particularly evocative one.
“I remember the noise of the bells ringing at school as the effigy of Guy Fawkes we’d prepared earlier was carried out on a canvas stretcher, hoisted on to the huge bonfire and set alight.
“Then the revelry would begin.
“My school friends and I would all have sparklers we passed around, lighting one from another.”
Pippa Middleton also reminisces about playing conkers at school: “We all used to get really competitive. The trick was to paint clear nail varnish on the conkers to make them very tough and less likely to break – outrageous cheating of course!”
Justin Bieber made the headlines by saying Prince William should take the hair loss drug Propecia to avoid those ever-impending bald patches from worsening.
While it was all harmless joviality, a leading hair transplant surgeon is adamant that Prince William will be completely bald on the top of his head by the time he is 40.
Doctor Asim Shahmalak said that Propecia could halt the royal’s hair loss but it would not restore his lost hair.
Dr. Asim Shahmalak, who runs the Crown Clinic in Manchester said: “He would have to take Propecia for the rest of his life and it would not help him to grow new hair.”
The doctor, who carried out a hair transplant on Dr. Christian Jessen from Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, said that Prince William, 30, would be completely bald on the top of his head by the age of 40 if he didn’t take action.
He said: “Prince William has been losing his hair since he was 25. His hair loss is even worse than his father Charles. And obviously his grand-father Philip is bald too.
“That is a strong family gene. There is a strong likelihood that any male child he has with Kate will also have this bald gene – though a further consideration will be hair genes on Kate’s side of the family.
“Prince William has quite fine light brown hair. To restore the hair on the top of his head to a reasonable level of density, he will need at least 3,000 or 4,000 hair grafts where hair is taken from the back of the scalp and moved to the top of the head. This is similar to the treatment which Wayne Rooney had.”
Propecia is the only licensed hair loss tablet in the world which keeps existing hair.
However, because of Propecia side effects, the drug will not be suitable for the Prince at this moment.
Propecia active ingredient is also used to treat BPH (benign prostate hypertrophy).
According to newly-updated “protocols” approved by Queen Elizabeth II, Duchess of Cambridge has been placed firmly down the royal pecking order.
A document is said to have been circulated privately in the Royal Household, clarifying Kate’s status.
Despite being the future Queen herself, as a former commoner, the once Kate Middleton must apparently show reverence to the “blood princesses”.
This means Kate is expected to curtsey to those born royal, such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie – both in public and in private.
The rule only applies when her husband, Prince William, is not present.
Royal observers suspect Kate will not mind the new rules as she is keen to please everybody, but Prince William may be less happy.
In his absence, Kate must also curtsey to other blue-blooded women in the Royal Household including Princess Anne and Princess Alexandra, the Queen’s cousin.
In the case of the Countess of Wessex, it is she who will have to curtsey to Kate – even though she is a generation older and is married to the Queen’s son, Edward.
According to new protocols, Kate Middleton is expected to curtsey to those born royal, such as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, both in public and in private
The Earl of Wessex’s wife was once the second-highest ranking woman in the Royal Family because neither of the Queen’s other sons, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, were married.
This is effectively Sophie’s second “demotion”, having been pushed down the list in 2005 after Prince Charles married Camilla, and finding she was expected to curtsey to the Duchess of Cornwall.
The complex new rules come in a little-known edict entitled the Order Of Precedence Of The Royal Family To Be Observed At Court, which the Queen has updated to take into account Prince William’s wife.
When Prince William is with her, Kate does not need to bend the knee to either Beatrice or Eugenie.
But she must always curtsey to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, whether Prince William is present or not.
The thorny question of how Kate would fit into the UK’s first family has long been a subject of speculation among royal observers.
The Princess Royal, for example, is said to have refused to ever curtsey to Princess Diana or to Camilla, on the basis they were outsiders whereas she had given her whole adult life to royal service.
In an effort to avoid an epic battle of royal egos, the Queen drew up the first Order of Precedence in 2005, after Prince Charles married Camilla.
Its effect was to change the order along “blood lines” so that Princesses Anne, Beatrice, Eugenie and Alexandra – the granddaughter of George V – were all ahead of Camilla.
The etiquette, though arcane to some, is taken very seriously by the royals, who bow and curtsey to each other in public and behind closed doors.
The Order of Precedence affects other aspects of royal protocol too, such as who arrives first at an event. For example, Camilla was forced to wait in the drizzle outside the Guards Chapel, Windsor, for the arrival of Princess Anne at a memorial service in 2006, because Prince Charles had not accompanied her.
Royal historian Brian Hoey, an expert on court protocol, predicted when Prince William married Kate that: “Kate will take the rank of her husband, which means that when she’s at court, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie should curtsey to her. But I don’t think there’s a chance they will.”
While Prince William feels warmly towards his cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie, he’s conscious of the fact that they are lesser royals.
“As future King, he will wish to see them behaving correctly towards their future Queen – but their attitude is likely to be: <<Why should I? I was born royal – Kate wasn’t>>.”
Queen Elizabeth II is to give Prince William and his wife one of the cottages on her beloved Sandringham estate to mark his 30th birthday.
The property will be made available to the couple later this year.
Prince William, who reached the milestone last Thursday, is said to be celebrating privately with family and friends this weekend.
It is understood that he is particularly delighted about the house because he and Kate spent their first Christmas as husband and wife at Sandringham last year.
The 20,000-acre Sandringham estate near King’s Lynn in Norfolk has been owned by the Queen since her accession in 1952 and by the Royal Family since 1862.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stay in the main house, an Edwardian mansion, every Christmas with the rest of the Royal Family.
Although much of the land is open to the public, the paparazzi are no longer allowed to photograph the Royal Family relaxing there.
New laws were introduced after pictures of Prince Philip were published overseas and Prince Edward was photographed apparently striking his two gun dogs with a wooden stick during a pheasant shoot.
Queen Elizabeth II is to give Prince William and his wife one of the cottages on her beloved Sandringham estate to mark his 30th birthday
It is not known which of the 150 residential, commercial and agricultural properties on the estate that the Queen intends to give to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Among the options are York Cottage, which is currently used as an estate office.
Built by Edward VII soon after he moved to Sandringham, it was the first home of King George V and Queen Mary after their marriage in 1893.
Sandringham was a favorite of George V, who declared it “the place I love better than anywhere in the world” and Prince William’s great-grandfather, King George VI, was born there in 1895.
Kate and William have also previously stayed at Wood Farm Cottage in Wolferton, a modest cottage set in a secluded part of the estate that is often used as an informal weekend retreat by the Royals.
William and Prince Harry regularly host shooting parties at the cottage, while Kate and William have treated friends to a weekend there. Prince Harry also stayed at the cottage with his former girlfriend, Chelsy Davy.
The cottage is often used by the Royals when there is not enough accommodation in the main house.
Previously, Wood Farm was used by the Duke of Edinburgh to host private parties during shooting weekends, and the Duchess of York stayed there following her divorce from Prince Andrew.
Prince William already has several properties across the country. When he was a student at St Andrews University, the Queen handed him a cottage called Tam-na-Ghar on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, where he used to take Kate for romantic weekends.
The Duke and Duchess currently live on Anglesey in Wales, where Prince William works as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot. The Prince has previously spoken of how he and the Duchess, 30, can live “normal lives” on Anglesey. However, he has been told that he must decide by the end of the year whether he wants to continue with his flying career.
Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge were the star attractions at last night’s gala to mark the countdown to the London Olympic Games.
The royal couple attended the Our Greatest Team Rises Gala dinner at London’s Royal Albert Hall and both looked stylish and sophisticated as they walked down the red carpet.
Prince William looked his usual dapper self in a black tuxedo while Duchess Catherine – also known as Kate Middleton – was stunning in a floor-length teal Jenny Packham dress. Her long brunette locks were put up in an elegant knotted bun while she wore her Jimmy Choo “Vamp” sandals on her feet.
The black tie gala evening marked the final countdown to the London 2012 Games – which start on July 27 – as well as raising critical funds to support the competitors.
Prince William and Duchess of Cambridge were the star attractions at last night's gala to mark the countdown to the London Olympic Games
Once inside, Prince William gave a witty speech to the 3,000 guests in which he likened his physique to that of a pigeon.
He quipped: ”Naturally, I was asked to compete for TeamGB in every sport, but sadly Lord Coe said there were London pigeons with more athletic prowess than me. Anyway to adapt a famous phrase from Sir Steve Regrave, if you see me in a pair of Speedos during the Olympics, shoot me!”
Prince William then went on to say how excited he was at the prospect of the Games in his home city of London.
He said: ”These Games remind us of the power of the human spirit and human endeavour. You, our Olympians and Paralympians, will inspire people up and down this country, and far beyond its borders. For the athletes of Our Greatest Team, these Games mark the pinnacle of your sporting careers. I can only imagine it… competing at home, in front of your countrymen and women, with the eyes of the entire world upon you. A dream come true.
”For all of us mere mortals – and I include my brother, Harry, still droning on about beating Usain…it never counted as it was a false start…this is a lifetime opportunity. We will witness an exceptional moment in our Island History. The mood in London will be electric, ecstatic, amazing. I just can’t simply wait.”
Other guests at the gala included British Olympic champions, Sir Steve Redgrave, Dame Kelly Holmes and Sally Gunnell while Kimberley Walsh was there to perform the official single, Queen’s “One Vision” with tenor Alfie Boe.
In a video clip from 1985, Princes William and Harry bang enthusiastically on the keys of a piano as they take part in a photo-shoot at Kensington Palace, enjoying family life in perfect harmony.
Watched on by a glowing Princess Diana and a proud Prince Charles, three-year-old Prince William is encouraged to kiss his one-year-old sibling, Prince Harry.
William and Harry were captured on film playing the piano, as they took part in a photo-shoot at Kensington Palace in 1985
William is at first reluctant, but then lands a cheeky smacker on Prince Harry’s head to cheers from onlookers before pulling quickly away.
At one point, their father, Prince Charles is seen playing peekaboo with a handkerchief to encourage his children to look in the right direction for the camera.
William kisses Harry's head, much to the delight of his parents and other onlookers
Just like any other youngsters, Princes William and Harry display an endearingly mischievous side – scampering away, hiding under tables and squirming out of their parents’ arms.
Prince Harry, who is just learning to walk, crawls over to photographer Tim Graham to get a closer look.
“Go on Harry, go get him!”, someone, possibly Diana, calls out from behind the video camera.
Princes William and Harry 26 years after, at Westminster Abbey before William’s marriage to Kate Middleton in April 2011
The children are joined by Charles and Diana for a selection of family snaps. The late Princess of Wales, Diana radiates as she sits on the floor next to her boys.
Prince William even helps his mother re-do her make up as he lovingly dabs her face with a powder pad.
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