To be really excited that a woman is having a baby. Again. I mean, no one else has ever had a baby, have they?

[dougierose]

And it's going to be on the TELLY! And in the papers. And all over Twitter. We've got three weeks of this.

I like to think that they deliberately gave out a due date two weeks early last time. Then Kate was sat on the sofa in her pjs watching the ridiculous crowds of media melting in the heat and going stir crazy with boredom and misery. And she happily ate ice cream while shrieking "this is for calling me waity Katie you fuckers, hope you all melt while YOU'RE waiting in the sun"

That's what I would have done anyway.

Cinderella That is the best comment. Ever.

respect

When the Queen was born, she wasnt going to be Queen was she? I see Wills has now started 6 weeks paternity leave. Apparently he's cut short his
pretend job helicopter training. The whole concept of the monarchy reduces me to incoherent rage. I better go

The irony is they hate it too! I am totally in agreement with the royal family on this issie - please, please leave them alone and stop reporting all the boring details of their lives. I would rather not hear it and they would rather not be followed. Sorry if this has already been said.

The Queen was always the heir apparent (after her father) from birth as the Prince of Wales had no children and it became more obvious through the twenties and early thirties that he was unlikely to have them. Interesting to think about what would have happened if Edward VIII had been able to marry Wallis without abdicating. He lived on till the early 70s so we would never have had a King George VI or indeed a Queen Mother as she would have remained the Duchess of York and never been crowned. Instead of the young queen of the 50s we would have had a middle aged Elizabeth on whose accession we would probably have already been looking forward to King Charles. Weird thought. And of course Margaret probably would have married Peter Townsend as her uncle married to a divorcee would have shaken the establishment quite enough for them to cope with that. perhaps the then newly created Prince Of Wales, having grown up out of the public gaze as the son of a naval officer and part time royal, would have been better equipped to assert himself and marry the woman he chose. Andrew and Edward would have been closer in age to their older siblings (the gap is widely thought to be because the Queen wanted to get the hang of Queening before sprogging again) and that too would have changed the whole dynamic.

Incidentally Bourdic the reports I've read make it clear William has not cut anything short. He's finished the training needed and the next section was planned for after some public duties in May because it requires uninterrupted flying time. Amongst my friends many husbands are taking 4-5 weeks now after a birth with paternity leave and annual/unpaid leave if they can possibly manage it. It's really not unusual.

Wasn't the Edward abdication thing more because he was a Nazi sympathiser and the government wanted him out for that reason with Wallis used as the excuse. They both met Hitler and favoured a deal with Germany. Wallis Simpson had a previous relationship with one of the Nazi leaders and both had been passing on information.

Oh, that's interesting, AbbeyRoad - I read that he was not exactly collaborating, but was definitely hopeful that in the event of a German invasion of the UK, then he would be reinstated as King. I think this is why he was shipped off to the Bahamas or wherever.

A lot of the aristos were a bit too right wing, however, and were certainly anti-semitic. My, how they will be turning in their graves to think that the future King of England should have an ex-council house granny for a Grandmother. And quite right too. We should live in a meritocracy where those who work hard and have the capability should rise to the top, irrespective of class, school, creed or ethnic origin.

Edward and Wallis were horribly indiscreet but as far as he goes I don't believe he was in any way, at any time, consciously betraying his country. He certainly did think that the Nazis had a good thing going government-wise in the thirties.
I think the abdication was primarily motivated by the incompatibility of having a Queen with two additional live husbands with the role of the monarch as head of the Church of England. That said, her being who she was didn't help either.

The Queen was heir presumptive at birth, because they might have gone on to have a son who would have displaced her under the old rules. It was only first sons born to reigning monarchs who were heir apparent from birth (now first child of either sex).

HM the Queen was heir presumptive from birth to the moment of George VIs death.

But according to a source: ‘Down in Bucklebury where the Prince and the Cambridges had taken up residence with round-the-clock royal protection, Kate was on her knees with exhaustion as George hardly slept at all.

‘Carole needed her sleep and even the Spanish Norland Nanny, Maria Borrallo, found it all rather taxing when she first joined, though she now will ensure George has a smooth routine while the baby is small.*’

Mother, Grandmother AND NANNY all needed sleep so hired special night nanny!

He broke THREE women! Who do the rest of us have to rely on?

A reformed smoker, Kate not only doesn’t allow smoking anywhere near the children, but anyone who smells of smoke will be quickly dispatched, too

by secret service, gun - the tower?

That's hilarious Roses he broke 3 women! I'm sure I would be broken if it meant nannies would arrive

And the Nazi thing, one of the papers was trying to get the documents but they are still secret. I doubt Edward knew enough to collaborate with any useful information but Baldwin wasn't happy with whatever communication was going on, I guess for morale purposes.
Hitler called the Queen Mother "the most dangerous woman in Britain" he couldn't understand why people that had been bombed would cheer up when she drove past and waved at them. I guess the Royals have always had influence over the national mood, although it's not something I share personally

I read a headline the other day saying 'the whole world is waiting with baited breath'. If that isn't spin goodness knows what is. I read it was definitely a girl to be called Alice.

"But according to a source: ‘Down in Bucklebury where the Prince and the Cambridges had taken up residence with round-the-clock royal protection, Kate was on her knees with exhaustion as George hardly slept at all."

Yes of course she was. So hard for her having to do all the housework as well, and keep everything perfect in case her grandmother in law popped in and ran her finger along the top of the door.........

@ Hakluyt. Indeed.

Brings back memories of my MIL making me clean a day after delivery, I was knee deep in a clothes sort out, and hovering the stairs with what felt like a broken back, huge clots passing out of me as big as a fist....while she kept telling me :" Your so lucky to be in such good physical condition, come on just another pile"

I was literally on my Knees after she left. .( never came back either)

Re Hitler whilst its hard to understand now, many people sided in the early days with Stalin or Hitler and lets face it, not much between them really.

With hindsight its shocking to us now.

Quite an old news story but I don't think they ever got the documents news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2074100.stm
Being forced to go to the Bahamas doesn't sound too bad though!

Anyway back to Kate...I don't understand all the hysteria over the name. There's only so many names it can actually be. Although I'd love it if they called it something unusual, ideally from another culture so the Mail could go into meltdown.
I wonder if they have to get the names signed off by anyone? The minor royals have gone for some unusual names,but I get the feeling it's not the done thing for direct descendants?

Awww, I find it nice actually. As a French, we do not have much royalty or nobility left, as they were given a rather close shaving.
But you know what, your Royalty is quite popular in France. Especially the Queen, she is incredibly well thought off across the pond (so was Diana).
All this to tell you that in a time of slimy politicians and appalling slebs, a nice, good looking and elegant royal family is nice and pleasant to look at.
So yes, I will cheer for the new baby. if I can, maybe go see near the church when they baptize them. Because it's spring, and a nice national new is just what I need! :)

I too am pissed off with the whole "Oh she's so exhausted." Really? WTF has she got to be exhausted over? Trying working full time with 2 toddlers who still night-wake and 9 months pregnant with #3 and a useless twat of an ex! Now that's exhaustion!

I think they have given out the wrong due date. I reckon she's already had the baby.

Her pregnancy was announced last year on 14 July. I remember when I eventually heard about it a few weeks later, I was very early on in my own pregnancy and I remember thinking that her due date would be around the same time as mine, most probably a fortnight to a month before. Well, my old due date was nearly two weeks ago -- and to add to that, I actually conceived on 16 July, so two days after her pregnancy was announced.

I tell you ... she has already had this baby.

The usual Press hyperbole, that is. I remember (because DS3 was born the day before) when the then Duchess of York was about to pop her first, and one paper had a huge headline: FERGIE TO HAVE MAJOR OP? They meant she might need a Caesarian

I know it is a major operation, but thousands of women go through it with no fuss at all, and iirc she didn't even have one as it turned out. My baby was much bigger than hers, too.

worksallhours I worked it out as well and thought she would be due on or around DS's birthday, which was three weeks ago.

You might be onto something.

Where would they hide it!?

I want this baby if it's a boy to be called something like Obadiah or Dwayne. If it's a girl Cynthia or Tracey.

I want completely not royal and darn original or a mix of royal names like James and John - JaJo would work for me.

I was on holiday with last royal baby at home this time but we now have streaming TV. Nothing live so I will only find out when my news app alerts me to a headline.

It's refreshing to have no news.