She gave birth to Prince George just under a year ago, but rumours about The Duchess of Cambridge's second pregnancy are already so abundant, betting shops are no longer taking punts on whether she's expecting again. It all started when Kate's, ahem, 'best friend' Jessica Hay told an Australian magazine New Day: 'Kate’s inner circle are buzzing with the news that she is pregnant. I’ve heard it from several different friends of theirs now and they’re saying that they think there’s going to be an official announcement in weeks.'
In case that left, anyone in any doubt she added: 'Kate’s face is fuller like it was when she was first expecting George and she’s been changing her hair, which could be to disguise the fullness. She has rosy cheeks, she’s letting her greys show again, and whenever she’s out in public she goes to great lengths to hold something over her tummy.'
Hmm... OK, so apart from wondering why the hell her best mate would be telling Australian press about her new pregnancy, here are some questions we're asking about these ever-growing rumours:
1. What happens if it's a girl this time?**
More media attention, more fussing over her choices, more predictions over what she might do when she grows up and a lot of picking over the way she looks, unfortunately. Sadly, no chat about whether she'll be the heir thanks to those changes to primogeniture pre Prince George's birth – this being the birth of the spare, and all.
2. Would Kate really want to get pregnant after the media furore that surrounded her first birth?
We totally remember how journalists and photographers and weird creepy royals fans were literally camped outside the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital for days, awaiting any news about Kate's labour. And yeah, that's set to happen again whenever Kate gets pregnant again. She'll put herself through it because, well, that is what you sign up to when you become a member of the royal family. Plus, apparently the second labour is always shorter than the first, so the press won't be camped out for so long. Hurray for us!
4. Why would Kate have one baby so soon after the first?
Well, why not?
5. When will we find out if Kate's pregnant for sure?
From the very moment Kate got married to Prince William – 29th April 2011, fact fans – rumours were spreading about her potential pregnancy. However, she wasn't actually pregnant until October 2012, with the announcement coming in December 2012. Because it's against the law to report on an unconfirmed pregnancy before 12 weeks, it's likely that, if pregnant, Kate will wait until her first scan at 12 weeks to announce the pregnancy. And so she should have the right to.
6. But wait, we found out about the first pregnancy about eight weeks in. How did that happen?
First off, great memory, secondly, the announcement of Kate's pregnancy with George was made early because Kate was ill with hyperemesis gravidarum, an acute form of morning sickness. People wanted to know why she was in hospital and how severe the illness was, so her pregnancy was announced.
7. Hold on a minute, why are we so obsessed with Kate Middleton getting pregnant again anyway?
Yeah, it's a bit strange isn't it. Given that this is speculation about what's being created in the womb of a woman whose body is already unnecessarily picked over and dissected. Or what's not even been created, yet. But that requires her to have sex with Prince William. Yep – too much. Too. Much.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.