Pregnant in the heat! With scorching summer temperatures in effect, Kate Middleton left London’s Kensington Palace for some R&R at her parent’s house in Bucklebury, Berkshire, on Friday, July 12, a source confirms to Us Weekly.
“It was just too warm in Nott Cott,” the insider tells Us, referring to the couple’s Nottingham Cottage residency, which lacks air conditioning. (On Saturday, July 13, England’s highest 2013 temperature of 89.4 degrees was recorded). “She decided to spend the weekend with mum and dad. Much more comfortable.”
Indeed, her parents’ residence boasts a pool, BBQ patio, and many cool rooms to relax in. While the 31-year-old mom-to-be waits to go into labor (her due date was July 11), the insider tells Us that “protection officers are visible from the street.”
While The Duchess of Cambridge cools off in Bucklebury, Prince William and Prince Harry are competing for the Jerudong Trophy at the Cirencester Polo Club on Sunday, July 14, to raise money for his charities Centrepoint, WellChild, Child Bereavement UK. The doting Duke of Cambridge will play on the same team alongside his brother and is prepared in case his wife needs him immediately.
“William is relaxed,” an aide tells Us, adding that a helicopter is not on standby. “Should Kate go in to labor he will go straight to London with a police escort.”
And if she doesn’t? “He will drive to Bucklebury and stay the night at the Middleton’s house with Kate,” the source explains.
I’ve added scans from the most recent Us Weekly cover that features Kate.
GALLERY LINK:
– Magazine Scans > 2013 > 07/22/13 – Us Weekly
There’s no doubt that Prince William is eager to welcome his first child with wife Kate Middleton. But until the royal baby decides to make an appearance, the Duke of Cambridge still has duties and obligations to fulfill as a member of the royal family. On Saturday, July 13, he and his younger brother, Prince Harry, competed against each other in the Kent & Curwen Royal Polo Cup in Sydmonton, England.
The 31-year-old first-time father-to-be was playing on behalf of the Tusk Trust and Sentebale charities. At halftime, his team led Harry’s two goals to one. By the end of the match, however, the tables had turned. Uncle-to-be Harry and his teammates pulled ahead, beating Prince William four goals to three.
The Duke of Cambridge didn’t stick around long after losing, but only because he wanted to get home to his nine-months-pregnant wife. William has been at Kensington Palace in London since Wednesday, July 10, after a long shift with the Royal Air Force in Anglesey. He is expected to return to work on Monday, July 15 — assuming the Duchess doesn’t give birth before then, of course. (Barring any surprise deliveries, he’ll also compete in a polo match on Sunday, July 14, in aid of WellChild, Centrepoint, and Child Bereavement UK.)
It’s been a busy few days for the royal family. Amid the increasing royal baby mania, Queen Elizabeth II opened up Buckingham Palace this week to host the Coronation Festival. On Thursday, July 11, the Middleton family — Pippa, James, Michael, and Carole — joined the Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and others at the Coronation Festival Concert in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation.
Aunt-to-be Pippa also had an out-of-town obligation on Saturday, July 13. She flew to Vienna for the day to attend the wedding of Caroline Sieber and Fritz Von Westonholtz.
The Duchess, meanwhile, is nesting at Nottingham Cottage as she awaits her baby’s birth. “Catherine and William are very much looking forward to the arrival of their son or daughter,” a palace aide told Us. “It’s a very exciting time for the couple and their families.”
The future king or queen will be born in the private Lindo wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where the Duke of Cambridge, who was also born there, will be with his wife throughout the delivery.
St James’s Palace has also moved to end speculation over the gender of the baby by insisting the Duke and Duchess do not know the sex of their baby and have chosen not to be told until it is born.
As details about the arrangements for the birth were released to the media, aides confirmed that Marcus Setchell, the Queen’s former gynaecologist, will deliver the baby, aided by the Queen’s current gynaecologist Alan Farthing, the former fiance of the murdered BBC presenter Jill Dando.Asked whether the Duchess had opted for an elective Caesarian birth, an option which has led to some mothers being dubbed “too posh to push”, palace sources said she intended to give birth naturally.
They also confirmed that the Duke will only take two weeks statutory paternity leave before he returns to flying duties with his RAF Search and Rescue squadron in Wales.
The Duke does not plan to take any time off before the birth, meaning he could face a race against time to be present when the baby is born.
He works a four days on, four days off shift pattern at RAF Valley on Anglesey, meaning he could be 300 miles away when the Duchess goes into labour. It is understood that the Duchess will not spend any time in Wales between now and the birth, due in mid-July, dividing her time instead between Kensington Palace and her parents’ home in Berkshire.
Contingency plans have been put in place with the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading in case the Duchess goes into labour unexpectedly early while visiting her parents.
The first indication that the Duchess has given birth will come when an aide leaves the hospital carrying a piece of paper with details of the baby’s sex, weight and time of birth, which they will hand to a driver to be taken to Buckingham Palace.
The notice will then be placed on an easel on the forecourt of the Palace for the waiting world to be given its first information about the future king or queen.
Shortly afterwards, the news will be put out on the Palace’s official Twitter feed, though aides stressed that no electronic communication would be made until the public had had a chance to see the official notice, as “it’s important that this is done with a degree of dignity and with half an eye on the historical significance” of the occasion.
Bookies have taken a steady stream of bets on the baby being a boy, partly because the Duchess is reported to have bought a blue pram, but a royal source said: “The Duke and Duchess don’t know the sex of the baby and they have decided not to find out beforehand.”
No announcement of the birth will be made until after the Queen, other senior members of the Royal family, and the Middleton family have been informed.
If the Duchess gives birth in the middle of the night no announcement is likely to be made until the Queen has woken, as sources said they did not expect her to be woken up specially to be told the news.
The royal couple have so far given no indication as to whether they have chosen names for the baby.
When the Duke of Cambridge was born his name was not announced for a week, reportedly because the Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales could not agree on one.
On Thursday, Kate Middleton made what’s believed to be her last official solo appearance before the birth of her child. Parting the crowds in a festive Dalmatian print coat dress, the Duchess of Cambridge arrived in Southampton, England to christen Princess Cruises’ latest ocean liner, the Royal Princess.
The event has been billed, according to the Associated Press, as her last official appearance before she embarks on maternity leave, though the Palace has not officially provided a confirmation.
GALLERY LIN:
– Appearances & Events > 2013 > May 13 – Princess Cruises Ship Naming Ceremony
A month away from giving birth Kate joined the Queen to celebrate the 60th Anniversary Of The her Coronation. Kate wore a Jenny Packham dress and coat and recycled old favorites like her Russell & Bromley clutch and Jane Taylor hat. She looked stunning as always! Photos have been added to the gallery, keep checking back for new additions!
GALLERY LINK:
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– Appearances & Events > 2013 > 60th Anniversary Of Queen’s Coronation Service
Sorry for the late update, I had computer issues once again! Here are photos from a few weeks ago of Kate attending a Garden Party At Buckingham Palace. She looks wonderful in yellow!
GALLERY LINK:
– Appearances & Events > 2013 > May 22 – Garden Party At Buckingham Palace
I’ve added over 100 photos of Kate visiting the Naomi House Children’s Hospice today. Today is also special as it’s Will and Kate’s 2nd Wedding Anniversary! At today’s event Kate was wearing a peach coat by Tara Jarmon, a Paris-based Canadian designer, a custom beige dress, and of course, her trusty L.K. Bennett pumps. Seriously, every time you don’t think she could get any cuter she does!
GALLERY LINK:
= Appearances & Events > 2013 > Naomi House Children’s Hospice
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enjoyed a tour of the Warner Bros Studios with Prince William, sitting in the Batmobile, trying out the Batbike and learning to duel with wands.
Examining props from some of the company’s best-loved films, the Royal couple battled one another on film sets and even wondered aloud whether the famous Batmobile came with a baby seat.
The Duke, who gave a speech to inaugurate the studio in his role as president of Bafta, joked he would like to “borrow” the Batmobile for the weekend, as he teased his younger brother for believing Harry Potter was “real”.
“I’m over the moon just to have seen the real batmobile and batbike,” he said. “You don’t do baby seats for those cars do you?”
Poking fun at Prince Harry, he added: “Harry is just happy to have seen a real-life talking owl. I haven’t told him yet that Harry Potter isn’t real.”
He went on: “Please make another in the Dark Knight series. And another, and another.”
He officially inaugurated the studio with a clapperboard, saying: “Warner Brothers Studios Leavesden act one, take one.”
The Royal party were also given a tour of the Harry Potter sets, as the Duke and Duchess were given a lesson in how to cast spells with wands – then duelled against each other.
The Duke cast an “expelliarmus” jinx to disarm his opponent, as nine children representing charities helped by the couple’s foundation looked on.
The Duchess beamed with delight as wand movement teacher Scott Heron, 20, put them through their paces.
He said: “They were really good. I think they could join Dumbledore’s Army.”While the couple duelled in the Griffindor Common room set, Prince Harry looked around The Burrow, home of the red-headed Weasley family, prompting inevitable jokes about Harry’s hair.
Leanne Dormody, one of the staff, said: “They would have had to make The Burrow much higher if he was a Weasley.”
While learning about the Batman films, the Duke could not resist the chance to sit on the bat bike and was told only two people had ever ridden it; the stunt doubles for Bale and Hathaway.
As he and Harry admired the batmobile, the Duke said: “We’ll have to borrow that for the weekend,” then climbed inside while Harry asked: “How many miles has it done?”
The Duke was so taken with the Batmobile, officially known as the Tumbler, that he spent five minutes inside the vehicle and fired up its 5.7 litre engine, revving it loudly.
The royal party also met Harry Potter author JK Rowling and her husband, Neil, David Heyman, producer of the Potter films, David Yates, director of the last three Potter films, Mike Newell, who directed the fourth Potter film, and Julie Tottman, the animal trainer who was in charge of the owls on the films.
Earlier today, they were given a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how films including the Batman trilogy have been made in the UK.
The £100m studios accounts for a third of all the films now made in the UK. Other movies shot here include Star Wars Episode One, The Phantom Menace, and the James Bond film Goldeneye.
The Duchess arrived wearing a white £38 dress with brown polka dots from Top Shop, with a short black jacket over the top.
The Royal party began the tour with a short presentation on the history of Warner Bros in the UK, then met a line-up of staff in one of the hangar-sized studios.
Waiting for them was an honour guard of mannequins wearing Gotham City Police Dept costumes from the Batman films, together with Christian Bale’s Batman costume, Anne Hathaway’s Catwoman outfit, and the costumes worn by baddies Tom Hardy, as Bane, and Heath Ledger, as The Joker.
Props including the batmobile, bat-bike and masks worn by The Joker’s henchmen were also on display.
Sound stage G, where the Royal party met staff, was used for several sets in the Harry Potter films and for the Tom Cruise film All You Need Is Kill.
GALLERY LINK:
– Appearances & Events > 2013 > Inauguration Of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
Check out 20 new icons added to our media center using photos of Kate at The National Portrait Gallery yesterday! She looked stunning! Don’t forget to Right click > Save As!
