Growing Family
The House of Windsor is getting a new member! Kate Middleton officially reveals she’s expecting baby No. 3
Kate Middleton and Prince William have huge news: They’re expecting baby No. 3!
Prince Wil liam beamed as he chased around his cousins’ kids and watched them do headstands at an English polo field on June 11. And the future king is known for being just as engaged with his own tots, Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2. “Stability at home is so important to me,” says William, 35. “I want to bring up my children in a happy, stable, secure world.”
There’s bound to be some chaos, though — and there’s about to be much more. Kate Middleton recently shared some joyous news with her husband of six years. “Kate has told William that she’s pregnant with baby No. 3!” a royal insider exclusively tells Life & Style. “Kate’s thrilled and William is dying to tell all of his friends and family.”
For now, the couple have only made the official announcement to a trusted few, even though Kate, 35, displayed a fuller belly during a charity visit to King’s College Hospital in London on June 12. “Kate doesn’t want there to be a circus around her pregnancy,” explains the insider. In the past, she’s been forced to disclose that there was a baby on the way before reaching the end of her first trimester because she suffered from extreme morning sickness known as hyperemesis gravidarum. It landed
Kate in the hospital and drove her to cancel appearances during her previous pregnancies. “This time around her morning sickness hasn’t been as bad,” notes the insider. “Nevertheless, William doesn’t want his wife overdoing things. He’s told her to take it easy and relax. William is very protective of Kate.”
Aside from a royal
appearance here and there, Kate’s taking William’s advice and focusing on preparing for baby. First up? Creating the perfect space at Kensington Palace for when she brings her newborn home. “Kate has started working on the nursery, which is very traditional,” shares the insider. “Kate loves high- end designer Bernard Thorp’s designs and custom-made fabrics. The nursery will be mainly white, with a splash of color to add warmth.”
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Any monogramming will have to wait, how-
ever. As with George and Charlotte, William and Kate are waiting until the birth to find out the gender of their child. They have no preference in terms of wanting a boy or girl, says the insider. “But they like the names Edward or James for a boy, and Isabella or Olivia for a girl.”
Whatever name they choose, it’s bound to get frequent use by the newborn’s siblings. “William and Kate can’t wait to tell Charlotte and George that they’re going to have a brother or sister,” says the insider. “They think Charlotte is too young to fully understand, but at nearly 4 years old, Prince George will be excited about the news once Kate shows him her bump and explains to him that there’s a baby growing inside her.”
Once the baby arrives, things will sink in for Charlotte. And it may be a challenging transition. “While Kate thinks her kids will love having another sibling, she is worried that Charlotte will be jealous at first,” notes the insider. “Charlotte loves being the center of attention and is
“Becoming a mother has been such a rewarding and wonderful experience.” — Kate
strong-minded. George is more laid-back.”
BUCKING TRADITION
He takes after his parents. With George starting school in the fall, the family is moving fulltime to London. But until now, William and Kate have done their best to avoid the pomp and circumstance of palace life. Instead, they’ve been raising their kids at Anmer Hall in rural Norfolk, England. “The new baby will be brought up in London, but Kate and William both enjoy leaving the palace and escaping to their country pad most weekends,” shares the insider. “Kate and Will have more privacy in Norfolk and feel like a nor- mal family when they’re not in London. They prefer leading a simple life and want to bring up their children to be as down-to- earth as possible.”
It won’t be easy for big brother George, who’s in line to become king after his dad and grandfather, Prince Charles, 68. But in honor of his late mother, Princess Diana, William will try his hardest to keep George and his siblings grounded. “I want George to grow up in a real, living environment,” says William. “I don’t want him growing up behind palace walls.”
AN EVEN FULLER HOUSE
Kate is on the same page. But they don’t agree about everything — especially how much more their family will grow. “In William’s mind, three children is the perfect number,” notes the insider. “Kate doesn’t want to stop at three, though.” She’s already thinking ahead to baby No. 4, following in the footsteps of Queen Elizabeth II, 91, who gave birth to four children. “Kate’s always wanted a large family,” the insider says, “and has told pals she wants four children before she’s 40 years old.”
She’s well on the way to making that a happy reality with her third pregnancy. “Catherine has been doing an amazing job as a mother,” gushes William. “I’m very proud of her.”
“I adore my children very much.” — William