Friends have reportedly said that the reason why the 32-year-old Duchess of Cambridge is having two babies within less than two years is because she wants to have three by the time she is 35, The Times reported.
Kensington Palace announced yesterday that she was pregnant with her second child.
The announcement was made before she had her 12-week scan because she is suffering from acute morning sickness.
Assuming the new baby is born around April or May -- the Palace has not announced the due date -- there will be an age gap of around 21-22 months between Prince George, who was born in July 2013, and his younger sibling.
A friend was quoted as saying recently: "Kate has been talking about having at least three children, which is why she is keen to be pregnant again."
Prince William has said in the past that he would be happy to have two children.
Their respective preferences may well reflect their own upbringing. William was one of two brothers, while Kate was one of three.
The Royal Family has had a pattern recently of having two children -- Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward all had two each.
The Duchess is famously close to her family, and in particular her siblings Pippa and James. The Duchess is 20 months older than her sister, and less than five years older than her brother.
Her happy memories of her own childhood were reflected in the couple's decision to take George to spend time with his Middleton grandparents in Bucklebury within days of his birth.
The Duchess, who is believed to be six to eight weeks pregnant, cancelled her appearance at an engagement in Oxford yesterday because she was unwell with hyperemesis gravidarum, the condition which saw her hospitalised at the beginning of her first pregnancy.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
