Kate Middleton at Place2Be Charity
IN PHOTO: Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (L) presents Bailey Dunne (11) with the Child Champion award at the Place2Be Wellbeing in Schools Awards at Kensington Palace,London, November 19, 2014. REUTERS/Paul Hackett

Nearly eight months pregnant with the soon-to-be prince or princess, Kate Middleton expressed excitement on the arrival of her second child with Prince William. In previous engagements last week, Middleton told well-wishers, "[It’s] not long now,” as she begins the countdown to the coming of her second royal baby, US Magazine reports.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy was announced on September 8 last year, when it was believed she was already five or six weeks pregnant, putting her due date sometime in mid-April or early May. Kate’s baby bump has been noticeably becoming more pronounced as seen in her public appearances; she even shared in January that she feels the baby kicking all the time. Her due date came into question sometime in February when reports of the 33-year-old suffering from a number of pregnancy sicknesses such as hyperemesis gravidarum came into light. The birth date, as many have speculated based on Kate’s pregnancy timeframe, would have to be April 25, although many still believe that it would be earlier than that.

Despite generally not feeling well, Kate carried on with her royal duties, engaging in no less than four engagements last week. She will also attend to military personnel and view the parade on St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 and visit a child’s center in east London the following day before finally taking a maternity leave. The Duchess’ parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, have also been reportedly moved to Amner Hall in Prince William’s Norfolk home weeks before the speculated arrival of the baby to aid in providing “a calm sanctuary” for Kate.

Meanwhile, bets on the second royal baby’s due date have been increasingly soaring as Middleton approaches the final weeks of her pregnancy, Hello Magazine reports. Gamblers have been putting money on April 3rd, 4th and 5th as the arrival date of the new member of the royal family, while there is a general belief that the child will be a girl.

“Elizabeth” and “Charlotte” are at close stats for a baby girl’s name, while “Philip” is the favourite for a boy’s. The punters are also betting on the infant’s weight – whether he or she will weigh less, the same or more than older brother Prince George. Moreover, they are also casting predictions on what Kate will be wearing when she leaves the hospital with her newborn child. While the royal couple insists of having no clue as to what the sex of their second child might be, the Duke has mentioned wanting a girl, while the Duchess was granted her wish for a boy when little Prince George was born.

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