Kate Middleton's baby is almost here — her due date is in July — and now that she's holed up at her parents' house for the remainder of her pregnancy, the media has nothing to do but concoct rumors about her impending motherhood. We've rounded up all the information floating around the Internet, both factual and speculative, to quench your royal baby thirst. Read on for Kate's nursery color scheme, the name rumors, her birth plan, and all the other stuff you desperately need to know.
1. The Nursery
Kate is preparing two nurseries: one at her and Will's newly renovated apartment at Kensington Palace, and one at her parents' house in Bucklebury, where she'll reportedly stay for a few months after she gives birth (after his two weeks of paternity leave, William will return to his RAF duties). Her color scheme of choice apparently revolves around "herringbone brown," according to ABC News, which could be convenient for diaper accidents. She has supposedly purchased a $450 Moses basket as well as a Bugaboo Cameleon3 special edition stroller in jewel blue with black and white stripes. (Fun fact: Kate Hudson and Sienna Miller have the same stroller in different colors.) Last week, she was seen shopping for antiques near her parents house.
2. The Birth
There are conflicting reports about the due date, which is said to fall sometime between July 11 and 14. According to a detailed press release from St. James Palace, Kate intends to give birth naturally in a private wing of St. Mary's Hospital. She'll be attended to by her two gynecologists, and William will be present. Once the baby is born and all "senior" members of the royal family have been notified, the palace will announce the birth by putting a piece of paper on an easel out front that states the baby's gender, weight, and time of birth. They'll also tweet the news.
3. The Name
Kate and Will have chosen not to learn the baby's gender before its birth, and they've actually done a pretty good job of keeping it a secret. However, bookies have been taking bets on prospective names, and the current front-runner is Alexandra, one of the queen's several middle names, and also the name of William's godmother. The top boy name is George, which was the name of the Queen's dad as well as six previous British kings. Others in the running: Charlotte, which is Pippa's middle name (and the best name EVER, obviously), Philip, which is William's grandfather's name, and Elizabeth.
4. The Gifts
The Prime Minister of Australia knit the baby a little kangaroo stuffed animal, while Kate's uncle, Gary Goldsmith, told the Sun he plans to get the baby a tiny Chelsea football uniform.
5. Her Frame of Mind
Kate is "really enjoying her final weeks of pregnancy" and "finds pregnancy fascinating," according Us Weekly's unnamed source.
6. Other Random Tidbits
It's unclear whether Kate plans to breastfeed, but one woman wrote an impassioned op-ed for the Telegraph begging her to do so for "the good of the nation." The Duchess has also been taking cooking classes from the royal housekeeper, Antonella Fresolone.
By Samantha Murphy2013-05-17 20:45:20 UTC
