Wills and Kate don't know baby's gender

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to know their new child's gender until the birth.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be waiting on tenterhooks to see if their new baby is a boy or a girl - as the couple do not know their child's gender.

During routine scans William and Kate did not ask if they would be welcoming a son or daughter - opting to be surprised as with the duchess's previous pregnancies.

The baby is expected in April and, although a due date has not been released, it is thought the infant will be born in the second half of the month.

The couple are said to be hugely grateful for the warm wishes they have received from UK fans and those across the globe since Kate's pregnancy announcement last year.

There was speculation Kate might opt for a home birth, but when she goes into labour she will again be cared for in the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, where Prince George and Princess Charlotte were born.

And just like her previous pregnancies, she is likely to have a team of more than 20 top medical experts and other staff working or on stand-by from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs St Mary's.

Consultant obstetrician Guy Thorpe-Beeston and consultant gynaecologist Alan Farthing will be among the team, two senior medics who were involved in helping to deliver Kate's previous children.

Preparations for the media coverage of the birth begin in earnest on Monday, with crowd barriers going up in the street opposite the Lindo Wing in Paddington, central London, and parking restrictions coming into force in the area.

Bookies believe Kate will have a girl and a large number of punters have placed bets on the baby being named Mary.

Once news of the birth has been announced on the official Kensington Palace Twitter and Instagram accounts, a bulletin notice declaring the birth will go on display on an easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

Kate is likely to take an extended period off to recover and nurse the latest addition to her family but is expected to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding on May 19.

As a mother of three children under the age of four, the duchess's role as a parent is likely to be her focus for the next few years.


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Published 23 April 2018 6:58pm
Source: AAP


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