IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!! His Royal Highness joined the world today at 4:24 pm EST. He was 8 pounds 6 ounces at birth! Kensington Palace says that the Duchess and the baby are doing well and that Prince William, who made a brief statement of "We could not be happier" after witnessing the birth of his son, was by Kate's side throughout the entire day. The entire country is celebrating the birth of the new heir to the throne! London landmarks are illuminated in blue with some pronouncing "It's A Boy" in letters large enough for the city to see! At Buckingham Palace, where the official proclamation of the baby's birth was set in a gold frame atop an easel (as is customary), people are joyous and excited. Many are coming to lay flowers or teddy bears and other gifts at the gate, waving flags, and singing "Happy Birthday"! Kate will remain in the hospital overnight for observation and to settle into motherhood a bit. I am unsure as to where they will live once they leave the hospital but an apartment in Kensington Palace is undergoing renovations so Will and Kate and the baby can move in later this year. Stay tuned. I'll have more news to come!! July 22, 2013 - 7 a.m. - Kate is in labor!!! She went to St. Mary's Hospital at about 1 a.m. eastern standard time in the US this morning. She's been in the hospital just about six hours now and palace officials are confirming that things are progressing as normal. Prince William is at the hospital with Kate and it is expected that Kate's mom and sister will be joining her as well. STAY TUNED! It is going to be ANYTIME now!!! SO EXCITED! The announcement of the birth of the royal baby will be steeped in tradition but with a modern twist. When the baby is born, someone from Kensington Palace will hand an envelope over to a member of the royal family to take to Buckingham Palace. Then a formal proclamation on palace notepaper, signed by royal doctors will be placed in a frame and set on an easel just to the side of the front gate's behind the iron railings of Buckingham Palace. The proclamation will likely only reveal the weight of the baby and that the baby is healthy. With the birth of the royal baby also comes a traditional 41 gun salute, notification of several world leaders by the Palace, and the verbal announcement by town criers. Also, in a rather untraditional manner that has really only evolved of late, the birth will likely be announced on the Palace's website and I am sure via Twitter as well. IT'S ALMOST TIME!!!!!So rumors are SWIRLING that the royal couple purposely released a due date (third hand) that was meant to throw the media off to allow them some actual privacy. However, Camilla (who is not my favorite Brit, I have to admit) said in an impromptu speech at an event this week that she and Prince Charles are anxiously awaiting the phone call and hope to hear news "by the end of the week". THAT IS A GREAT INDICATION (totally unscripted) that gives us all an idea of when the actual expected due date is. Of course, with babies, due dates are estimated AND unpredictable (my guy was induced four days after his actual due date). So we will just keep waiting anxiously! Also, forgot to mention, and I think these will become very valuable and are also a great keepsake, the Royal Mint has created a silver "lucky" penny to be gifted to 2,013 new moms in Britain who give birth the same day as the Duchess. AWESOME! The coins will be gifted in a blue or pink pouch with a teddy bear note that says "solid sterling silver good luck penny." For those not giving birth that day or just wishing to partake in the commemorative festivities, the Royal Mint has "lucky" pennies for sale too! SO CUTE!!!!  July 13, 2013: Kate is due ANY DAY NOW!!! TODAY is actually her due date (rumored). We all await anxiously for news. The royal baby will be here and the world is waiting! Just this past week Buckingham Palace announced the royal baby's title (although we are still waiting for a name!). The baby will be known as His or Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess of Cambridge. It was just earlier this year that the Queen issues a royal decree allowing any and all of Prince William's children to be called Prince or Princess. The media frenzy in London is in full effect. Members of the media have been staked out for days waiting to catch a glimpse of Duchess Kate arriving at St. Mary's Hospital in the Paddington section of London. Rumors on Thursday swirled about Kate going into labor but that turned out not to be true. CHECK BACK HERE as I will also post as soon as I hear as well! Will & Kate could take the traditional route of not revealing the baby's name immediately (with the birth of several past royal babies, the public waited weeks and months for a name to be revealed) or they may buck tradition and let the world welcome their baby by name right away. I am very anxious to know what name they have chosen. I will be delighted with Diana if it is a girl. It would be an emotional and honorable nod to the late Princess. Will has to return to his duties for the Royal Air Force at their home in Anglesey, wales on Monday so he is keeping a helicopter on wait at the home so he can rush back if Kate goes into labor. Hopefully she will give birth this weekend and Will can be by her side. When is the royal baby coming? I CAN'T WAIT MUCH LONGER!!!! DUE DATE? Rumors are that Kate was discussing with family and friends her due date of July 13, 2013 at a recent family BBQ. The Palace will not confirm this date only to say that she is due in July and that any other date would be "speculation." A due date of July 13th falls during the Queen's four day Coronation Festival to be held July 11 - 14 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation. Rumors continue to swirl about the royal baby being a boy or a girl but nothing so far has seemed too legitimate. We will wait and see. If the due date is true, this means that Kate is seven weeks out! WOW! VISIBLY PREGNANT! Kate stepped out no less than FOUR TIMES this past week! That's a lot of events for a pregnant woman to take on! Of course, as to be expected, she looked stunning at each event. At her most recent event at Warner Bros. Studios to honor The Making of Harry Potter, she sported a Topshop (one of her favorites!) simply polka dot dress that retails for $79! She looked great. The dress flew off the shelves and was sold out at Topshop within hours of Kate's appearance. Earlier in the week she stopped by a school and was featuring a $1400 Erdem dress. Just as lovely, but probably not within most people's budgets like the Topshop dress. When she stepped out earlier in the week to fill in for the Queen at a Scouting event, she covered up a bit with a mint green coat but couldn't exactly hide the baby bump at 6 1/2 months! Her fourth appearance was at an evening reception at the National Portrait Gallery. The dress she wore to this event I LOVED! The color was incredible and she rocked it! It was an Emilia Wickstead cocktail dress in a robin's egg blue that was just classic and fit her perfectly! I know she has her duties but four events in one week when you are this far along has got to be rough. I hope she gets some rest this week! KATE'S BEST DRESSED Vanity Fair just named Kate #1 on their "Top 10 Best Dressed Pregnant Ladies." No doubt that Kate is a style maven and she remains so while pregnant! Sales of her maternity outfits have gone through the roof the moment she steps out in them. I'm not shocked that Vanity Fair named her Best Dressed even though she had some competition in Halle Berry and Kim K (whose maternity style I can't even find the words for) & the multitude of other celebs that seem to all be pregnant right now. See Kate and the other glowing ladies that made the list here! MOVING IN WITH HER PARENTS? Reports this week are that Kate and the new Royal Baby are going to be moving in with her parents when she leaves the Hospital. Some folks are aghast as it is not traditional for a royal baby to stay in any other place but a royal residence. Although they are calling Kate's parents' home the home of commoners, it hardly amounts to a shack. The multimillion dollar home will be ample space and luxury for the Royal newborn. Will & Kate's homes are both undergoing renovations to accommodate both them and the new baby and moving in with her parents seems like a perfectly viable option. She will have the assistance of her parents and the expertise of her Mom to guide her in Kate's first few weeks as a new Mom. Seems like a nice situation to me. Have your say and take our poll HERE - Should Will & Kate move in with Kate's parents? KIM & KATE - BFFs?!?! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEE tell me that all this talk this week about Kim Kardashian and Kate somehow bonding or connecting simply because they are due at the same time is a bunch of malarkey!!! I am NOT a fan of Ms. Kardashian's and to hear that Kate is a big fan of the Kardashian family "reality" show or that Kim is sending Kate notes and gifts is enough for me to want to crawl into a deep, dark hole and just not come out for a while until all of these stories are OVER! IT'S A GIRL - AGAIN? Oddsmakers in Britain are seeing a big upswing in bets that Will & Kate are having a girl. Some bets came in so rapidly and so one sided that it was a girl that they stopped accepting bets! Does someone know something we don't? The oddsmakers are also putting the best odds on the names Alexandra, Diana (naturally), and Elizabeth (respectful!). We'll see soon enough! ROYAL BABY SHOWER The new story is that unlike every other new mom-to-be, Kate will NOT be having a baby shower. Feeling that they already will be able to afford anything they need or that it will be provided to them, the Royal Couple feel that having a baby shower would be ostentatious. Honestly, some moms-to-be, including me, don't want baby showers. I hate the rigmarole of those sorts of events. It's possible she doesn't want one and this is a good way to spin it. But if she does, I think a way for Kate to enjoy the tradition of a shower would be to still have one but to announce that any gifts will be given to one of her charities. She could accept donations for struggling moms or orphans or even monetary donations. Take my poll here - Should Kate have a baby shower like any new mom-to-be or should she simply take the understated route and not have one? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ ROYAL BABY SECRETS The upcoming issue of US Weekly is quoting sources who are spilling the beans on some of Kate's pregnancy secrets including cravings, staying fit, a baby name, and the baby's nickname! Sources tell US Weekly that Kate has been craving sweets! Cakes, cookies, anything sugary! Those trips she has made to Starbucks that have been so well reported on have always included a little cookie or sweet. US Weekly is also reporting that Will & Kate have nicknamed their baby and are calling the baby "our little grape". So cute! We called our little man "The Peanut." To this day we still refer to him as Pea when we are casually discussing him. We'll have to give that up as he gets older - don't want to embarrass him! If the royal baby is a girl, word is her name will be Elizabeth Diana Carole in honor of Will's Mom, the late Princess Diana, Kate's Mom, Carole, and Queen Elizabeth. That's nice that they are honoring their families (if this really turns out to be the name - I have my doubts). One last tidbit is that Kate has taken up yoga to stay fit while pregnant. I had heard a while ago that she was doing yoga to help with her morning sickness. Maybe it helped her feel so much better that she decided to continue with it for the duration of the pregnancy. FUTURE ROYAL BABY'S LAST NAME Here's something I'm a little embarrassed about. I didn't know Prince William (and thus Kate Middleton's) official last name. Honestly, it's not something that is discussed very often. Generally he goes by Prince William of Wales, as royals tend not to use last names. I got to wondering what last name the Royal Baby would have. Certainly the Prince must have a surname! After doing some research, I discovered that Prince William's last name (& Kate's official last name) is Mountbatten-Windsor. The name comes from the merging of names of the Queen and Prince Phillip in 1960. The Queen's family name was originally Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but due to anti-German sentiment after WWII, the royal surname was changed to Windsor. Windsor had a long history with British royalty through the Town of Windsor, Berkshire and the Windsor castle. Prince Phillip's last name was Mountbatten and so they merged the two. Maybe you knew, maybe you didn't. Just a little something I learned that I wanted to pass along! VIDEO PROOF - KATE DIDN'T SAY "DAUGHTER" So, a good samaritan has come to Kate's rescue! A video of the supposed moment when Kate slipped and almost said "daughter" reveals that GASP - IT ISN'T TRUE!!! Lisa Hewson who shot the footage and released it to the Grimsby Telegraph stated that she did it to right a wrong. Ms. Hewson said that she feels that "Kate does such a good job and people are always picking and pulling her apart. If you know something isn't true and it is causing trouble, you have to do the right thing, and hopefully, that is what I am doing here." In the video, you can here Kate saying "Oh, is this for us? Thank you very much. That was very sweet of you." This refutes what Sandra Cook, who was standing next to Kate, indicted she said, which was that she was taking it for her "d.." before cutting herself off. Speculation QUICKLY grew that Kate was about to say "daughter" and accidentally had revealed the new Royal Baby's sex. Ms. Hewson said that she doesn't want to make Ms. Cook look bad by releasing this video saying "I'm sure the lady genuinely thought she heard what she said she did, and I don't want to make her look bad, all I'm saying is that this is my video, if you want to look at it, here it is." She goes on to say that Kate's visit was "such a mad five minutes. We were all so excited, it would have been easy to get caught up in the moment." Maybe Ms. Cook will realize she "got it wrong" but Ms. Hewson said she is hoping that the pregnant Kate sees the video and realizes that there are still decent people "who want the best for her." Very sweet sentiments. IT'S A GIRL?!? Kate may have spilled the beans on the baby's sex! It has got to be near impossible to keep it a secret and to prevent a slip up when you are talking about your pregnancy and accepting well wishes so often! We called everyone we knew the moment we found out but I understand William and Kate are trying to maintain what little privacy they can. Will and Kate were visiting the seaport of Grimsby today. While accepting a cute little teddy bear from an onlooker Kate said "Thank you. I'll take for my d..." before quickly cutting herself off. When pressed by a woman standing by if Kate was going to say "daughter", Kate said "I don't know" and then her wonderful husband Will to the rescue said "We're not telling" and cut the conversation short. This at least gives the indication they the Royal couple know the sex of their future child but whether Kate just slipped up or is being crafty to throw people off, is left to be seen. Maybe the well known "Mommy brain" is already kicking in! Either way, if this was a slip, looks like we have a future Princess on our hands! SO EXCITING! WEDDING IN THE ALPS Will & Kate braved the cold this week to attend a dear friends wedding in the Swiss Alps. The Royal Couple were spotted in Arosa, Switzerland attending the wedding of Laura Bechtolsheimer and Mark Tomlinson, who plays Polo with both Will and his brother Harry. Because of the intense royal baby watch, Kate hid her baby bump from view with a fake fur jacket (after the debacle in Mustique, who can blame her). She's a trooper though, carrying a toboggan while strolling and visiting with friends. They were spotted laughing and having a great time. Almost six months pregnant and she is carrying herself with such grace! SHOPPING FOR MATERNITY CLOTHES Kate's baby bump is present enough now that she is on the hunt for maternity clothes! I really enjoyed shopping for maternity clothes! It was so much fun to finally be able to show off that I was pregnant! Kate was spotted at a London Topshop in Oxford Circus. She was perusing clothes in the maternity department. She was quiet and low key but graciously acknowledged those who recognized her. OFFICIAL BABY BUMP Kate made her first official "baby bump" appearance this past week at Hope House, one of the charities for which she is a patron. She visited with staff and looked glowing in a Max Mara (one of my favorite designers!) wrap dress. Look at that bump! PRIVACY
February 16, 2013 - While the Royal couple were on vacation on Mustique, pictures were snapped by the paparazzi of the Duchess in a bikini. The pictures show Kate in a blue bikini with a little baby bump. They were taken when Will & Kate were walking along the beach, hand in hand.
Alfonso Signorini, the editor in chief of Chi, the Italian magazine that ran the photos (and who also ran topless photos of the Duchess last year) defended his decision to Us Weekly stating:MOON PRIVACY
February 16, 2013 - While the Royal couple were on vacation on Mustique, pictures were snapped by the paparazzi of the Duchess in a bikini. The pictures show Kate in a blue bikini with a little baby bump. They were taken when Will & Kate were walking along the beach, hand in hand.
Alfonso Signorini, the editor in chief of Chi, the Italian magazine that ran the photos (and who also ran topless photos of the Duchess last year) defended his decision to Us Weekly stating:
"We cannot talk about a violation of privacy when we publish pictures of public people in a public place. The photographs of Kate and William were bought from an international photo agency. You can't compare this with the media persecution of Lady Diana. I cannot stress enough that the photos were taken in a public place, not private property."
"[The Italian press] has not made a gentlemen's agreement [like the U.K.] with the Royal Household. Where is this so-called scandal they are trying to make it out as?"
The Palace responded accordingly:
"We are disappointed that photographs of the duke and duchess on a private holiday look likely to be published overseas. This is a clear breach of the couple's right to privacy."
What do you think? Should the Royal Couple expect privacy in a public place? It is understood that the British press does not step on or over any lines regarding the Royal Family's privacy. But can they really expect no one is going to try and take their picture when they are out in public and when there is so much interest in this Royal pregnancy? Rumor has it that these most recent photos sold for over $500,000 each.
NEXT PUBLIC APPEARANCE
February 5, 2013 - Although she's been seen out and about shopping and doing her best to hide her growing baby bump under designer capes, Kate is scheduled to make her second public appearance since announcing her pregnancy. St. James Palace released a statement today that the Duchess will appear at Hope House, a women's rehabilitation facility, in London, on February 19th. Kate is a patron to Hope House's Action on Addiction program. The program provides assistance to women recovering from substance abuse and other compulsive disorders. The Duchess plans to meet with staff and visit with clients during her time there.
EARLY BABYMOON
February 5, 2013 - Rumor has it (though no official confirmation) that Will & Kate are taking a Caribbean holiday in Mustique. This early Royal Babymoon is a nice sign that Kate is feeling better after her first trimester battle with morning sickness. Some time in the sun away from it all will be a well deserved break for the Royal couple.
January 29, 2013 - Clearblue UK reports that it has seen sales of it's home fertility monitors and pregnancy tests spike by over 60% since the Will & Kate announced the Duchess's pregnancy. Clearblue UK Brand Manager Hugh Ayling said: “We’ve never seen an increase like this before. We were pretty stunned when the stats came in and we wondered why it was. Then we worked it back and saw the spike came after Kate made her announcement. It would seem that women are trying for a baby in the hope of experiencing their pregnancy alongside Kate.” It is reported that a similar spike in pregnancies occurred when the late Princess Diana was pregnant with Will & Harry as well. Kate is a trendsetter and many young women look up to her. It appears that many of those young women want to be pregnant alongside Kate! Lookout Great Britain! You've got an impending baby boom on your hands!
NANNY FOR WILL & KATE
January 27, 2013 - Take this with whatever grain of salt you wish but Australian Magazine New Idea is reporting that Kate's "friend" Jessica Hay tells them that Kate wants to bring in her Mom, Carole Middleton, to help with the new royal baby. This would be a break in tradition as usually a Nanny is provided by the Palace. Honestly, though, don't most women want their Mom's around right after their baby is born? I know I did. Plus, they have the added worry of security and discretion far and above the normal first time parents. Wouldn't a family member be a good choice? Whether or not her Mom's help will be temporary support or a formal, permanent position, remains to be seen.
MATERNITY STYLE
January 27, 2013 - According to People Magazine, Kate was out and about yesterday shopping for maternity clothes! She visited two different Gap stores in Chelsea (King's Road and Sloane Square locations) looking for jeggings (skinny stretchy maternity jeans). A shopper stated that Kate was looking for skinny jeans because that is what she liked to wear pre-pregnancy. Kate is always in high style and must have heard that the Gap has some of the comfiest, yet stylish maternity clothes (Gap and Old Navy were my go to stores for maternity clothes, too!) Word is she is on the hunt for just the right length.
January 21, 2013 - I have been thinking about all of the joy the world has for Will & Kate and for their baby and have read and heard a lot about people wishing to hold baby showers to celebrate the impending royal birth. I think a really nice way to pay homage to Kate's incredible generosity and to celebrate at the same time is to ask everyone who attends the shower to bring a baby gift that can be given to a local shelter for women in need. Diapers, formula, cloths, are always appreciated by local shelters. Kate is always so charitable, I thought this would be a really nice way to honor her if you have a baby shower to celebrate the royal baby.
STARBUCKS CRAVING
January 21, 2013 - Even a pregnant girl needs her coffee! Kate was spotted at a Starbucks in Kensington this week. She looked healthy and happy as she ordered a decaf coffee and a cookie. In tow were her security detail and her cocker spaniel, Lupo. Word is Kate used her own Starbucks card to pay.
HARRY IS HAPPY
January 21, 2013 - Uncle Harry is expressing his delight for Will & Kate. Harry said of the wonderful news: "Obviously I'm thrilled for both of them." He joked that it was "about time" and said he couldn't "wait to be an uncle". In a very telling sentiment, incredibly reflective, in my opinion, of his mother's struggles as a Princess, he added: "I am very happy for them, but I just only hope that she and him - but mainly Catherine - hopefully that she gets the necessary protection to allow her as a mother-to-be to enjoy the privacy that that comes with. I seriously hope that going to happen."
NEW TO OUR SITE
January 16, 2013 - Check out the newest addition to our site - Opinion Polls! Best baby name? Boy or Girl? Due Date? A new poll each week! Answer this week's poll by visiting the poll page via the link in the sidebar "Take Our Royal Baby Poll"! We'll post the results and a new poll each week! Can't wait to hear what you all think!
DUE DATE
January 14, 2013 - It will be a summer baby for Kate Middleton and Prince William! The statement read in part:
"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July."
This statement also seems to confirm (without stating outright) that she is not expecting twins since it references only a "baby", singular.
St. James Palace also provides information on Kate's bout with morning sickness indicating she is getting better everyday...
"The Duchess' condition continues to improve since her stay in [the] hospital last month."
It's welcome news that Kate is feeling better! PRINCE OR PRINCESS
January 13, 2013 - Kate's 31st Birthday passed with some wonderful news. The Queen has proclaimed that if Will & Kate give birth to a baby girl, she can have the title of princess. It had been since 1917 that the eldest son of the eldest son of Prince Charles would be given the title "prince" and a daughter would be given the title "lady". However, the Queen has the right to change this practice (and did so via Letters Patent, a process that allows her to make official changes without the involvement of Parliament) and issued the following decree on December 31, 2012 (official announcement made on January 9, 2013):
"The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm dated 31 December 2012 to declare that all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have and enjoy the style, title and attribute of Royal Highness with the titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their Christian names or with such other titles of honour."
I think this says a lot about how much Will & Kate are treasured. A change has already been made that would allow their child, if it is a girl, to become a future monarch and now a change has been made to allow a daughter to be titled "princess". I think that these changes are a reflection of the expectations put upon the Royal Family for these soon to be parents.
OFFICIAL PORTRAIT UNVEILED
The first official Royal Portrait of the Duchess was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Yeesh. I am certainly not an art critic and would generally take the Sunday comics over a museum tour any day of the week, but to me, this is just an awful rendering of such a beautiful young woman. The painting does not convey that certain sparkle Kate has and it ages her several years. Kate called the portrait "amazing" during her private viewing of the portrait (with Will by her side) before it was open to the general public. Kate had asked the award winning artist, Paul Emsley, to capture her naturally, casually and not officially. I still don't like it.
HOUSEKEEPER WANTED
Will & Kate are looking for a housekeeper for their new "apartment" (four stories, twenty rooms) in Kensington Palace. They will have their hands full with a new Royal baby. Applications are being accepted at Buckingham Palace where an internal job posting has been supposedly circulating. "Discretion, loyalty, and reliability are paramount" says the job description and is one of the more important qualifications for this fiercely private couple. The new housekeeper will be expected to work 37 hours a week keeping the apartment clean, doing laundry, dishes, cooking, running errands, and taking care of the dogs. Word is that fifteen applicants have applied. I am sure with the popularity of this Royal couple that number will move much higher.
BIRTHDAY GIFT FIT FOR A DUCHESS
January 7, 2013 - Kate's Birthday is just two days away and what do you get your pregnant wife? A stroller? Nope. A bassinet? Nope. Trendy designer maternity wardrobe? Nope. You get her a country home, of course! Word is that that is what Will is gifting his lovely wife! Sweet husband!! I got flowers. Would MUCH rather have had the country home.
CHARITABLE KATE
Kate is not letting pregnancy slow down her kindness. She has donated a baby hamper to an organization she became a patron of in 2011 - EACH - East Anglia's Children's Hospices. The organization will use the hamper in their annual charity auction. The organization supports families of children with life threatening illnesses.
SPICE ADVICE
On a MUCH lighter note, word is that Victoria Beckham will be providing Kate with pregnancy advice and support during the Duchess's pregnancy (and maybe some new maternity threads as well).
December 3, 2012 - IT'S OFFICIAL!! KATE IS PREGNANT!! It's the news everyone has been waiting for and today it has been confirmed! The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge made their big news official today! The statement says, of course, that everyone in The Royal Family is delighted!
Kate was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in central London with morning sickness. It is expected that she will remain there for several days and then will be required to rest thereafter as it is early in the pregnancy and a tender time.
This will be Prince William's firstborn and the third in line to the throne (behind Prince Charles and Prince William) - be it boy or girl.
This is incredibly exciting news!! Keep checking back for updates. I will keep you posted!
December 3, 2012 - Kate's pregnancy news is the talk of the day! Well wishes are trending on Twitter and it is the talk of most news outlets around the globe. I have also learned that Kate's morning sickness is quite severe and that although they won't confirm how far along she is, they will say that she is less than 12 weeks, making her hospital stay and rest, with Wills at her side, all the more important. |
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