WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATEIS A BIGGER FAMILY – AND BABY NO. 3 –

IN THE CARDS FOR THE BUSY MOM AND DAD?

A fter an eventful summer that saw them touring Europe and celebrating family

birthdays and weddings, the Duke and Duch-ess of Cambridge are now turning their attention to a major parenting milestone: their eldest child’s first day of kindergarten. Yet as the hands-on parents gear up for busy mornings spent packing knapsacks and driv-ing Prince George, 4, to Thomas’s Battersea private school not far from their new home, royal watchers are speculating: could a third baby be on the way?

There is absolutely no hint from the pal-ace that Kate is pregnant. But that hasn’t stopped people from wondering whether a bigger family is part of William and Kate’s short-term plans. In fact, there has been so much chatter that one British bookmaker suspended betting on a third royal baby after being swamped with bets over a 24-hour period last week, stating, “We have pulled the plug on the market to allow the dust to settle.”

ROYAL RUMBLINGS The rumour mill began this summer when the couple, both 35, and their children, George and two-year-old Charlotte, were visiting Poland on an of-ficial visit. At a stop in Warsaw, they were gifted with a cuddly toy designed to soothe newborns. When Kate took the toy, she turned to her husband with a delightful smile and quipped, “We will just have to have more babies!” The remark, heard around the world, im-mediately made headlines and encour-aged baby-to-be buzz.

Given their practical and good-na-tured parenting style, it would be nat-

ural for the couple to add to their family. Both William and Kate are easygoing par-

ents who try to make royal life as normal as possible for George and Charlotte despite their privileged address and pedigree. Wil-liam learned this from his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, who believed she was a mother first and a princess second. She dropped her beloved sons at school every day (a first for the British Royal Family) and didn’t hesitate to shower them with public displays of affection at every turn. As she

Happy home: Married for six years, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (here, at a rowing race in Germany in July, and top right, arriving in Warsaw airport a few days earlier with Prince George and Princess Charlotte) have moved from their country home in Norfolk to London’s Kensington Palace (right).

‘I don’t think they’ll stop at two!’

– GARY GOLDSMITH, KATE’S UNCLE

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George would be a guiding big brother and Charlotte would shine as

an adoring big sister

once said: “I get into bed with them at night, hug them and say, ‘Who loves you most in the world?’ and they always say, ‘Mummy.’”

Kate, too, comes from a doting family. She’s the oldest of three children and enjoys a very close relationship with her newly mar-ried sister, Pippa Middleton, 33, and brother James Middleton, 30, as well as with their parents, Michael and Carole Middleton. In fact, after George was born, Kate cocooned with her new baby at her childhood home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, for several weeks to be close to her mom, and it was Michael who snapped the first family portrait of William, Kate and infant George in the Bucklebury backyard that was shared with the public.

No doubt, Carole would be thrilled if both of her daughters had baby bumps at the same time so the house would once again be filled with the pitter-patter of little feet. Simi-larly, Kensington Palace would be especially lively if William and Kate timed their new addition with that of Prince Harry, 32, and his girlfriend, Meghan Markle, 36 – presum-ing the sweethearts take their relationship to the next step.

With William and Kate also putting down roots lately, it could be perfect timing for Baby Number 3. William recently gave up his job as a helicopter pilot with East Anglian Air Ambulance to focus on official royal duties on behalf of his grandmother, the Queen, and their charity work. That means more time spent in London, prompting a more

permanent move from their country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, to their new base, Kensington Palace, where Prince Harry also lives. The palace, which is a 30-minute com-mute to George’s school, is undergoing a major two-storey renovation. That, in itself, would offer more room for roving royal tots under the supervision of Maria Borrallo, George and Charlotte’s cherished Spanish nanny. With a new baby to play with, George would be a guiding big brother and Char-lotte would shine as an adoring big sister.

Still, three kids are a handful for any

Both William and Kate have close relationships with their siblings and cousins and would want that for their own children. Kate and sister Pippa (above, as kids with dad Michael) have a particularly strong bond and both played important roles at each other’s weddings. William and Harry (below, with their mom, maternal grandmother and cousin) are completely in tune with each other. Below: The couple pose with newborn George in a photo taken by Michael in the grounds of the Middleton family home.

Kate and William (pictured on their tour of Germany) are often given gifts for George and Charlotte on walkabouts. In Poland Kate received a baby toy, prompting her to quip to her husband: ‘We will just have to make more babies!’ Her off-the-cuff remark immediately fuelled hopes of a pending pregnancy.

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parent, royal or not. Perhaps William and Kate are sim-ply taking bit of a break before embarking on a third child, much like the Queen did when she was a young mother. Her two eldest children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, are 21 months apart, yet Prince Andrew was born almost a decade later and Prince Edward joined the Windsor family four years after that.

Kate has also increased her official public engage-ments substantially over the past year – even adding solo overseas trips to her portfolio – and recently hired a new private secretary to coordinate her hectic sched-ule and charitable interests. Catherine Quinn, head of Oxford University’s business school, is expected to

Though George and Charlotte (above, at her christening, and right, in the sib-lings’ first official portrait snapped by their mom) are just 22 months apart, William and Kate might be taking the lead of the Queen (below in 1965). Prince Charles and Princess Anne are 21 months apart yet the Queen waited almost 10 years for Prince Andrew’s birth and several more for Prince Edward’s debut.

A third child would be the fifth in line to the British throne and the Queen’s sixth great-grandchild

Royal pregnancies are announced by the palace, as are

births including those of George (above,

leaving hospital with his new parents,

and as proclaimed in front of Buckingham

Palace) and Charlotte (here, leaving hospital

after her birth).

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take up her post in October, which may mean that Kate plans to increase her workload rather than focus on a pregnancy. Given Kate’s history of severe sickness and hospitalization that halts her official dut-ies while she recovers, more time at work could put a third pregnancy on the back burner – or even deter her altogether.

And unless, or until, Buckingham Palace issues an official public statement – as it does with all royal pregnancies – any baby talk is purely speculation. That’s not to say some family members aren’t hopeful of another little addition. As Kate’s uncle, Gary Gold-smith, told Hello! just before Charlotte’s birth: “I don’t think they’ll stop at two!”

William and Kate (seen here at receptions in

Germany in July) have both increased their workload to support

the Queen and her charitable work.

William has even given up his much-loved day

job as a helicopter pilot (left) to become

a full-time royal.

Sibling solidarity: With Kate’s sister, Pippa, now married (top, at her wedding in May to financier James Matthews) and Prince Harry (bot-tom) seriously dating actress Meghan Markle, having babies at the same time would be an extra-special treat – not only for the would-be parents but also for the grandparents and great-grandparents.

Unless the palace issues an official

statement, any baby talk is speculation

REPORT: SUZANNE WINTROB

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